The Saiyan and the Beast
by Kerrigas
Summary: This is a story both familiar and new, of a prideful prince cursed to live as a beast. As Prince Vegeta discovers an uncommon friendship with a pure-hearted saiyan, the ruthless conqueror Freeza amasses an army to conquer the saiyan lands. Will the cruel prince ever learn what it means to love, and rise to defend his people? V/G slash crossover
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

…

Once upon a time, in a faraway land, there lived a young saiyan prince. He ruled over a great kingdom, known to be one of the most powerful in the world, and he had everything his heart desired. He was blessed with beauty and unimaginable power, but the prince was selfish, greedy, and proud. One night, during a harsh, rampaging blizzard, a wizened old namekian – one of the last of a dying race driven into extinction by the saiyans – knocked on the prince's castle doors, asking for shelter from the cold in return for a single senzu bean known to contain magical healing properties. The prideful young prince scoffed and turned down the old namek, disgusted and repulsed by the lower being.

At that moment, the namek realized that there was no pity in the prince's heart, and he was blinded by pride and selfishness. When the prince threatened to kill him if he did not leave, the old man transformed into a young namekian with emerald green skin and a billowing cape of white silk, for he was in fact the guardian of this planet - with powers equal to a god's. The prince, overcome by fear, tried in vain to kill the namek, but was easily defeated. The guardian knew that the prince could not learn to love as he was, and thus crushed the senzu bean over the beaten prince, who turned into a hideous beast, and took from him all his power. His glorious castle fell into ruins, the Great Forest lost its fertility and became a harborer of darkness and dark things, and his great kingdom at once became but a ruined shadow of its former glory. The Namekian left him only a crystal orb from which could be seen anything the bearer desired to see, a magic cloud that could only be ridden by those pure of heart, and seven golden balls. He declared that if the prince did not find true love, and if that love was not returned, by his twenty-first birthday and when the last of the golden balls turned to stone, the young saiyan would be cursed to live forever as a beast.

Time passed. The prince locked himself in his dark castle, ashamed of his appearance, and his pride kept him from seeking others out. But in time, he wandered off, in search of some way to find this love. But anyone who saw him fled at first site of the creature, and the Saiyan soon fell into despair, for hope had long since abandoned him, flitting away on emerald feet.

…

In the midst of a dark forest, a single man trekked his way through a great blizzard. Snow pelted the ground in thick white pellets, and the wind tore at his dark cloak with icy hands. Bardock growled to himself, rubbing his numb hands together and breathing on them. He stumbled forward, no longer able to see which direction he was going. The lightweight pack on his shoulder weighed down upon his shoulders like lead, and every step he took caused his lungs to heave two shaky breaths. The wind suddenly lessened and Bardock looked up to find himself under the shelter of tightly clustered trees. He turned around, shuddering at the sight of the merciless blizzard, and looked back at the forest.

"The Great Forest," Bardock murmured under his breath. It had been at least five years since anyone had dared enter it. Since the disappearance of the prince, the Great Forest had grown dark and eerie, the trees bore no fruit and were overrun by black moss and tough vines, and rumors of terrible monsters roaming within it had barricaded it from passage. Every so often, a traveler would attempt to journey through it and was never heard from again. Bardock pulled his cloak tighter around his shoulders, peering into the dark forest through the foggy mist. The blizzard behind him howled, and he made his decision. Adjusting the straps of his pack, the man marched forward into the cover of trees.

After hours of endlessly stumbling over jutting roots, slipping on ice-covered rocks, and clawing his way through thick underbrush and sticky spider webs, Bardock was fairly certain he was lost. He could no longer hear the storm, and a calm, eerie silence lay upon the forest like the thick quilt of mist that surrounded him. He sniffed the air, trying to locate a familiar smell, but only the strong scent of moist fungus and decay met his nose. The saiyan sneezed and continued walking, his boots sloshing through the muddy soil that had built itself over a hard layer of permafrost.

Suddenly, Bardock's nose flared and he froze in his tracks, head jerking upright. His eyes darted around, and the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. A movement to his left caused him to lock his eyes on the spot, but whatever had been there vanished in the fog. Bardock hissed. He was not alone.

A low growl echoed around him, but the saiyan couldn't pinpoint the exact location. He took a cautious step back, slowly raising a hand to the dagger around his waist. Suddenly, a great shadow loomed over him, and Bardock had only a split second to spring away before a monstrous creature crashed into the ground where he had been standing before. He stumbled backwards, quickly regaining his footing and looking up at his attacker. The monster snarled and turned to the horrified saiyan. It crouched on four enormous paws, and resembled something of a wolf, only a great deal larger, with fangs the size of Bardock's forearms, glowing gold eyes, and a pelt of deep brown fur. Still frozen with fear, Bardock could only stare as the creature slowly turned, it's long, thick tail whipping back and forth, swirling the white mist around it. As the monster emitted a low growl, the man snapped back to reality and took a step back. A twig snapped, echoing loudly through the forest. Somewhere above him, a single raven released a raspy caw. The creature roared in response, and sprang at Bardock, claws outstretched.  
The man, knowing he was much too weak to battle the creature, jumped away and shot through the forest.

He ran, without any sense of direction, his heart pumping loudly and vying for power over the snorts of the monster pounding after him. The ground trembled beneath the monster's every leap, and as Bardock weaved through the trees around him, his pursuer simply crashed through them, derooting the smaller ones with a flick of his mighty head. Breath coming out in ragged gasps, and legs beginning to burn beneath the constant strain, Bardock shot through the woods, more and more aware of the beast gaining on him.

Finally the man stumbled into a wide clearing, and, blinking the sweat from his eyes, noticed a great black gate before him. Without pausing to think, he ran towards the gate, which effortlessly opened as soon as he neared it. Bardock ran past the gate, breathing heavily, until he tripped and fell face-first into the snow-covered ground. He stilled, hands clenched tightly, and awaited the final blow of the creature, but it never came. After a few seconds, the saiyan raised his head and pushed himself upright, to see the monster standing in front of the open gate. Its glowing eyes stared at him menacingly, before it released a blood-curdling howl, turned, and bounded away into the darkness of the forest.

Bardock exhaled in relief and slowly pushed himself to his feet. His trembling had calmed, but now that the adrenaline had worn off, he shivered with cold. The saiyan looked up, surprised and relieved to see that the storm had let up. Light flecks of white snow tumbled through the white sky, rustled by a gentle wind. Bardock turned around and gasped.

A great castle stood in silent glory before him with crystal glass windows, intricate carvings, and a huge wooden double-door, shouldered by a pair of hideous gargoyles. The castle appeared almost ancient, covered in vines, ivy, and green-gray fungus, and parts of its once-looming towers had been reduced to ruins and stone rubble, save for one, huge tower that rose above the castle like a hand reaching in vain for the heavens. Bardock trembled under the overbearing building, but his cold and hunger drove him towards the double doors. He cautiously placed a hand on them and knocked. The doors swung open before his fingers, and he stepped inside a large, dark entryway. The huge doors closed behind him, and he was left in a darkness lit only by the gentle flickering of a few candles. However, the temperature inside the castle was not much warmer than that outside.

Across from him was a great staircase that ascended and split in in two. The only furniture in the room appeared to be a thick carpet rolled out beneath his feet spread to the edge of the stairs, and a few paintings hanging on the walls lit by the dim glow of the flitting candles. Every single one was torn, shredded across as if by the claws of a huge beast. Bardock suddenly noticed a movement to his left and jerked around.

"Hello?" he called out. No one answered. A candle flame flickered out, and then returned.

"My name is Bardock," he tried again. "I got caught by the blizzard and tried to venture through the Great Forest to escape the storm. However, I was pursued by some kind of beast and ended up here. Would it be impolite to ask for some food and shelter, for I am weak and I can no longer continue my journey home?" Again, Bardock was greeted by silence, but again, he heard a movement, closer this time. A few short whispers, or some sound of the sort, echoed through the room. Bardock was about to call out again when something that wasn't previously there caught his eye.

At first glance, he thought it was some kind of animal, but then realized that it was a gargoyle, much like one that he had seen on the castle, as tall as his knees, with stone skin, pointed ears, and a lean body. Suddenly, the gargoyle's ear flicked, and it looked up at him with beady black eyes. Bardock yelped and stepped back, only to knock into something else.

"Ouch! Hey, watch where you're going!" Bardock's twirled around and his eyes widened as a larger, more burly gargoyle rubbed its head with a claw in annoyance, glaring at him with three eyes.

"Stop that Tien, you're scaring him!" The first gargoyle said indignantly, hands on its hips.

"I'm the one scaring him? If I recall, he was backing away from _you,_ Yamcha," the other retorted.

"He was probably just shocked by your ugly face." Bardock flinched as another voice joined the three, he turned to see a shorter gargoyle crawl up and join the others.

"Oh shut it, Krillin," the larger gargoyle replied with a snort. The short gargoyle huffed and looked up at Bardock.

"Excuse us if we frightened you, sir. We couldn't help but overhear you, and, well, we don't have much, but we invite you to eat and rest here tonight." Bardock blinked.

"Krillin!" The larger gargoyle hissed. "What are you doing? Do you think _he'll _be pleased with this?"

"If he had anything to say about it, he would have said so a long time ago." The gargoyle by the name of Krillin replied curtly before turning back to Bardock."Follow me, sir."

Bardock swallowed, but his stomach growled loudly and he had no choice but to follow the strange creature into a larger room, where a great table was laid out. He dropped his pack beside himself and sat down in a large, comfortable chair. The man groaned as he unwrapped a long, thin auburn tail from around his waist, flicking it sorely.

"Oh, a saiyan are you?" The gargoyle noted before turning around towards a small doorway. "Hey Bulma, could you set up the table for our guest please?"

Another gargoyle, more slender than the others waddled out of the kitchen, hefting a plate above its head and clutching a fork, spoon, and knife in its long tail. The creature nimbly leapt on the table and placed the silverware and plate before the saiyan. It bared its teeth in what Bardock assumed was supposed to be a smile.

"Here you are sir. I hope you're not too repulsed by your hosts tonight." It said in a clear, feminine voice. Bardock managed a small smile.

"I've met worse," he said. The gargoyle nodded sagely.

"Yes, we saw that beast chase you to the castle. Pitiful thing it is, really."

Bardock frowned, not quite understanding the gargoyle's empathy towards the monster that had nearly ripped him apart. Before he could say anything, however, two gargoyles jumped up on the tabled and set down before him a large plateau covered in a round silver lid. One of the gargoyles's which Bardock recognized as the slender one he had first seen, called Yamcha by its comrade, and lifted the lid to reveal a steaming bowl of thick stew. Bardock's stomach growled again as the bowl was placed on his plate along with a thick slice of golden bread. He heartily dug in, shoving the delicious, warm food into his mouth. The saiyan downed bowl after bowl, until finally, with a satisfied sigh, he sat back in his chair. The gargoyles quickly cleared off the table until it was spotless. Bardock, no longer hungry, began to feel the effects of the cold and exhaustion. He stifled a yawn, shivering.

"Oh my, come now, we can't have our host freeze to death. Goten, Trunks," another gargoyle, with a high voice and a light accent, called out to two, small gargoyles, "prepare a fire will you?"

"Yes Ms. Briefs," the two gargoyles's answered in unison, springing away to the fireplace on the far left wall.

"Come now sir, we must get you to rest." Bardock let himself be led away by the other female gargoyle to a large, wooden chair with a leg rest, where he plopped himself down tiredly. The small gargoyles had started a roaring fire, which crackled atop a few charred logs. One of the two walked up to him, handing Bardock a wool blanket, which the saiyan readily accepted and draped over himself.

"Are you warm enough sir?" The gargoyle asked in a sweet, childlike voice. Bardock smiled warmly.

"I am, little one. Thank you." The man closed his eyes, and within seconds he was fast asleep under the watchful gaze of the gargoyles.

Bardock awoke the next morning to a serene silence. He yawned, rubbing at a pair of well-rested eyes, feeling uncharacteristically spirited. He blinked as a thick blanket slipped off his lap, and looked around. Thoughts from the night flooded through his head, and he placed a hand on his forehead, wondering if he'd just imagined it all. But the castle he was in, the tall chair, and the fire, now reduced to a thinly smoking heap of black coals, were all present. The gargoyles, however, were nowhere to be found, and the saiyan wondered if they had been real at all, when a mouth-watering scent wafted up his nose. He stood out of the chair, shivering as the cold castle air touched his skin, and wandered up to the long table behind him. The table was set for one at the end, where two covered dishes were placed beside a round plate. The Saiyan eagerly uncovered the food and readily devoured a breakfast of warm chicken broth, bread and butter, eggs, and rice. After finishing, he looked around for the gargoyles, hoping to thank them for the meal, but they had simply vanished. Bardock shrugged, picked up his pack on the chair beside him, and threw it over his shoulders, making for the entrance to the castle.

He cautiously opened the doors, expecting the worse in weather, but instead was greeted by clear blue skies and a gentle breeze, the sun's bright rays glittering over a layer of clear white snow. Bardock blinked against the harsh light of the sun, and stepped forward with a wide smile.

"Kami be praised," he murmured, "I may make it home without incident after all. What a wonderful turn of events." The man closed the huge double doors behind him and made his way through the snow. As he reached the large metal gates at the edge of the forest, which swing open at his approach, something caught his eye. He halted, eyes widening.

"Great Kami," he gasped, "these must be the legendary senzu beans!" The man slowly approached a thick bush of entwined leaves and vines that rose up to his hips. Small green beans dotted the bush in abundance, glistening beneath the sun and contrasting against the white expanse which hid almost all other foliage beneath a thick coat of snow. The saiyan remembered his sick son, and tentatively reached out and plucked a single bean. Almost immediately, a dark shadow suddenly fell over the man, and he whipped around, gasping. A huge and terrible beast, unlike one he'd ever seen, faced him with bared teeth. With a vicious snarl, the beast snatched Bardock up by his collar, raising him several feet off the ground so he hung level with the creature's glittering onyx eyes.

"What do you think you are doing, you low class swine!" The beast roared angrily. "I offer you food and shelter and the comfort of a night's rest from the elements, and in return you steal from me one of my rare and powerful senzu! You ungrateful cur! I ought to wring your neck here and now!" Bardock yelped, clutching the creature's unfaltering arm to keep himself upright.

"Please sir," he pleaded, "I did not mean to intrude upon your kindness. To say I am ungrateful is unfair, for I owe you my life. I only took it because I have heard of the senzu's wondrous healing abilities. My son," he choked, "my son suffers from a rare heart disease that is slowly killing him. I have just come back from Satan City in search of a doctor or a cure for him, but I found nothing. I just want him to live!" The beast glared unwaveringly at the man in his grip before dropping him unceremoniously upon the ground. Bardock coughed violently, body trembling beneath the looming figure of the beast.

"If what you say is true, then I will not deny you the healing powers of the senzu. You may take as many as you like." Bardock released a sigh of relief, but the beast narrowed his eyes.

"However," he continued, "you have still stolen from me, an unforgivable act. In return for my lenient kindness, once your son is fully healed, which should take him no longer than three days, you must send him here. He will take your place and live with me in return for saving both your lives." Bardock's blood ran cold in his veins and his heart dropped. He fell to his knees before the creature.

"I beg of you, do not ask this of me," he begged, "I will return and stay with you, but I could not bear it if something happened to him. My son is pure and kind, untouched by the ravages of our cruel world." The monster snorted.

"Calm yourself, man. No harm will come to your son when he comes here. He will be treated just as you were during your stay. You say your son is kind and pure?" The beast raised a hand and looked up at the sky.

"Nimbus," he called in a commanding voice. Immediately, something small and white zipped out of the blue of the sky, and Bardock was baffled as a small cloud, as white and untainted as the new snow, hovered beside the host of the castle, who turned back to the man.

"If your son is as pure-hearted as you claim him to be, he will be able to mount this cloud, which will swiftly bring him to this castle away from the dangers of the forest." Bardock stood up shakily, glancing at the cloud which made no movement of recognition. The beast raised three, clawed fingers and glared menacingly at the man.

"You have three days upon your return. Heal your son, and send him to me. If it takes any longer, I will personally hunt you down and destroy your entire family." And with this last threat, the beast turned and bounded away from the saiyan with unfathomable speed, leaving Bardock trembling in the snow.

...

**.:Author's Note:. **I think it's rather obvious where the inspiration for this came from. I also saw a few disney-DBZ crossovers floating around a while ago, so decided to write my own. I think it's coming out rather well. It's using references from the Disney and original Grimm's version of the Beauty and the Beast storyline, as well as a DBZ twist of my own. Enjoy, and please review!

- Kerrigas


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

…

In a quaint wooden house nestled on the edge of a small village, a young saiyan awoke to an early, blue-eyed dawn. Stretching his arms and arching his thick brown tail, he paced through the house, opening the fog-covered windows to allow a fresh breeze into the house. The saiyan quickly dressed himself, throwing on a thick coat and a pair of wool-lined boots over thick cotton pants and a black turtleneck sweater. He paced over to the small hallway, knocking on two adjacent doors.

"Raditz! Turles! It's time to wake up!" A groan from one room and a snort from the other returned his call. He sighed.

"I'll go get breakfast then. You guys get up soon! Dad's coming home today!" With this reminder, the saiyan opened the wooden door to the house and skipped out into the snow, before trotting off towards the village.

Upon crossing a wooden bridge which swept over a clear river, banked by snow and ice, the young saiyan arrived on the outskirts of Turtle Village, a small town where various houses and stores were built in relative proximity, leaving about a carriage-wide space for the main street. Despite the early time, the villagers were already up and bustling, and the familiar chatter of the townspeople newly inspired the young man, who bounded over to the bread-maker's shop.

"Good morning Mr. Oolong!" he warmly greeted the pig-faced, round-bellied old man.

"Goku! Haven't seen you around in a while!"

The young saiyan laughed. "I've been a bit busy since dad's been gone."

Oolong chuckled, his face taking on a warm pinkish tone. "I see. Those ruffian brothers of yours keeping you on your toes I bet!"

Goku grinned sheepishly. "They're not that bad!" he insisted, his eyes wavering over to the freshly lined baguettes and warm loaves of bread behind the bread maker. "Besides that, though, I'd like two sourdough loaves and a French baguette, if you will!"

Goku ran his errands quickly, all the while slowly enough to engage in polite conversation with the various villagers. He dropped by Master Roshi's out of pure curtsey, knocking loudly enough on the door to awaken the old man who dozed quietly on the mats of his dojo.

"Good morning, Goku," the old martial-arts champion greeted with a yawn.

"Morning, master Roshi!" Goku replied with enthusiasm, adjusting the two filled bags of groceries in his arms. "Any news of your old students?" Master Roshi shook his head, full white moustache drooping slightly over his long beard.

"Not since the disappearance of the prince," he replied sadly, then with angry fervency, "I knew they should have kept from that damn prince and his army of saiyan shmucks! Now the damn coward's vanished at taken away all my prized pupils!" The old man waved his wooden staff in the air angrily, as if it helped prove his point. Goku smiled sympathetically.

"They'll come back soon. Something must have happened to the prince. I'm sure they're all helping to protect him!" Master Roshi muttered something crossly under his breath.

"They're better off leaving that pride-obsessed glutton to his own." He growled. "He has the nerve to just disappear and leave us helpless to the advances of that tyrannical Freeza!" Goku frowned.

"I doubt the prince left knowing Freeza would appear, let alone leave us to his mercy. We all know how much pride he had. He would never have let Freeza take over his territory without a fight." Goku insisted. His old master spat and crossed his arms.

"Well regardless, anyone's better than that snake-blooded ice-lizard."

Goku smiled. "That's definitely true."

The old man looked up at Goku. "And what about you, you young buck?" He nudged Goku with his staff. "Have you been keeping to your practices, or do you need to come back for some more training?" Goku grinned.

"I've been practicing as much as possible. I've even been able to summon enough ki to blast down a tree and enough strength to carry it back home and chop it up."

The old man grinned proudly at his student. "Well done then, lad. But remember to practice concentrating your ki and applying control. See if you can concentrate enough ki in your hands to chop down a tree with your fists."

Goku blinked and swallowed. "Well, alright. I'll try!" he promised, before leaving with a final goodbye.

Upon arriving to his house, Goku dropped the groceries on the wooden counter of the small kitchen, setting the fruits and vegetables in a small basket on the dining room table, and placing the tenderly wrapped meats in an ice-box, packed with fresh snow, beneath the counter. He pulled out the bread and began slicing it into rounds, noting with amusement that his brothers still weren't up yet. With a grin, the saiyan left the bread and quickly ran outside, gathering two fistfuls of snow before quietly returning to the house. He tiptoed towards the first room, pushing open the door into the dark room.

"Turles," he called out soothingly. A figure, hidden beneath the bulk of a thick quilt, moved slightly and groaned. Goku grinned and sidled up to the side of the bed, slowly pulling the blankets back to uncover his eldest brother's dozing face. Without warning, Goku dumped a handful of the snow on the man's face and darted out of the room with a cackle. He leapt into Raditz's room, chuckling as Turles' shocked yelp burst through the household. Before his other sibling could register what had just happened, he yanked off his covers and dumped the rest of the snow on Raditz, who sprung out of bed with a screech.

"Kakkarot you spineless jerk!"

Goku laughed and jumped out through the living-room window, closely pursued by his now wide-awake and very-much-peeved older brothers, who leapt out of the house to follow him. Gathering handfuls of fresh snow and packing them into large balls, the three brothers exchanged cold blows, Raditz and Turles shrieking revenge at their younger brother.

"That was uncalled for, Goku!" Turles yelled, chucking a huge snowball at his youngest brother, who narrowly avoided it.

"Well then you lazy-bums should have gotten up sooner!" Goku retorted, sending another snowball flying in their direction and hitting Raditz square in the face as the saiyan stood up from having gathered some snow. Goku burst out laughing as his brother yelped, rubbing the snow off his face. He and Turles were feeling the cold much faster, clothed only in a pair of brown trousers and tank tops, while Goku was still warm in his black turtleneck and cotton pants. Turles was about to send a large handful of snow in Goku's direction, when his younger brother suddenly froze.

Goku didn't move. He felt the familiar tugging at his chest, and tried not to panic as his sight wavered and dizzied, focusing in and out before fading into darkness. A painful throbbing in his heart tore a whimper from his throat, and he hardly felt the sudden cold from a clump of snow hitting him squarely in the back as he fell to his knees.

Raditz pumped his fist in the air and released a yell of triumph as his shot connected with his ever elusive brother. As much as he hated to admit it, Goku was much faster and stronger than both he and Turles, and he'd never gotten over it. He was about to pack some more snow when Turles placed a hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see his brother staring anxiously before him.

"Enough, Raditz," he said in a commanding tone. Raditz growled.

"But I only got him once!" Turles' eyes suddenly widened and he rushed to Goku, who was kneeling in the snow with what seemed to be considerable effort. Raditz frowned, but didn't make a move to approach the younger saiyan. Turles placed a hand on Goku's shoulder, and appeared to ask him a few things before whipping his head up and locking his eyes on Raditz.

"He's having another attack!" He yelled. "Get some cold water ready and his medicine. I'll get him in the house!" Raditz rolled his eyes and stomped towards the house, grumbling under his breath. Turles gently gathered his younger brother in his arms and carried him to the house, laying Goku on his bed. The saiyan groaned in protest of the movement, squirming under the covers. Turles placed a hand on Goku's forehead, biting his lip as he felt the young saiyan's temperature skyrocket.

"Raditz! Where's that water!" he yelled over his shoulder.

"Its here, calm down," Raditz growled, lugging in a small basin filled with cold water, a small cotton towel leaning on his arm. He placed the basin beside the bed, watching quietly as Turles soaked the piece of cloth, wrung it out, and placed it on Goku's brow. The saiyan trembled, whimpering.

"I'm c... cold..." he stuttered.

"Shhhh, you're not cold," Turles cooed. "You're feverish, and we have to bring your temperature down. Raditz, medicine."

"Yes doctor," Raditz replied dryly, striding to the kitchen and back before handing Turles a bottle of small pills and a glass of water. Turles shook one out and placed it in Goku's mouth, supporting the young saiyan's back with one hand and touching the glass to his lips with the other.

"Come on Goku, you have to take your medicine," he coaxed. Goku reluctantly took a sip of water and swallowed the pill with a grimace.

"Urgh... it taste's worse than Raditz's cooking," he grumbled as Turles gently eased him back onto his pillows.

"I see your illness hasn't affected your wit, Kakkarot," Raditz noted snidely. Turles chuckled. "He's such a drama queen. I bet he's not even hurting that bad," Raditz sniffed. Turles frowned, looking up at him before straightening up.

"That isn't true, Raditz, and you know it. Consider yourself lucky that you aren't the one who caught the illness. It's already killed a number of saiyans, not including those already killed off by Freeza's minions." Raditz muttered something under his breath and trudged out of the room. Turles shook his head and sighed, looking down at Goku, who'd been induced into a light sleep by the medicine. Turles ruffled the young saiyan's hair and newly soaked the towel on his forehead.

"Get better soon, little brother," he whispered.

…

Raditz and Turles sat in the living room, setting the table for lunch, when a loud knock at their door startled both saiyans. The brothers exchanged a glance before Raditz slowly made his way to the door, unbolting it and cautiously opening it.

"Father!" Raditz exclaimed, shoving the door open and aiding the breathless saiyan into the house. Bardock dropped his pack on the floor and eased into a large chair with a sigh, gasping lungfuls of air. His sons looked at him inquisitively.

"What happened, father? You look like you've been through hell." Raditz inquired, more out of shock then concern. Bardock chuckled between breaths when his sagging eyelids suddenly snapped open.

"Goku," he breathed, "where is Goku?"

"He's resting in his room," Turles quickly replied. "He had another attack this morning, but he seems alright." Bardock nodded and pushed himself out of the chair, shuffling towards Goku's room. He pushed the door open quietly, pausing beside his son's sleeping form to observe him fondly. Turles pulled up a chair and placed it by the bed side for his weary father, earning him a grateful glance. He then joined his brother and watched silently from the doorway.

"Wake up my son, I have something for you." Bardock rummaged through his coat pockets, pulling out a single green bean. Turles' eyes widened and Raditz sucked in his breath with a hiss. Bardock shook Goku's shoulders gently, and supported his groggy son's head up, pressing the bean to his lips.

"Eat, Goku. It will help." Goku groaned.

"I already took my medicine," he muttered crossly. Bardock's lips twitched in amusement.

"This is better medicine. It'll make the virus go away. Make sure to chew it."

Goku reluctantly complied and accepted the bean, chewing on it before swallowing with a wince.

"Dad, is that…" Turles' mouth closed as his father gave him a meaningful look and nodded once. He swallowed and looked back at his sick brother.

Goku waited dubiously, relatively certain that this new medicine wasn't going to change anything, as usual. Maybe it would dull the throbbing in his head, or perhaps help him sleep. The bitter-tasting pills he'd been taking were supposed to numb the pain and help him sleep if anything, but he'd started to become immune and the usual dose no longer worked on him. However, Goku suddenly felt his head become much lighter. His chest pains began to fade, and the sores and crams all over his body disappeared. A warmth flooded through his body and rejuvenated his muscles, worn down by the sickness ravaging his body. His eyes fluttered open and he blinked, his eyesight clearer than ever. He slowly sat up, waiting for a sudden bout of dizziness and nausea that never came. He suddenly noticed his father sitting next to him, a wide smile plastered on his face.

"Father!" Goku burst jovially. Bardock laughed and embraced his son, hiding the tears of happiness that had warmed his eyes.

"Goku, my son. It's good to see you in such health." Goku pulled away and looked down at himself, flexing his hands.

"Yeah same here. Looks like you really found the right medicine."

Bardock smiled, but his eyes suddenly saddened, and his lips drew back into a frown. Goku looked questioning at his father, whose face had fallen to look down at the bed. The young saiyan grasped his father's hands into his own, looking up at him concernedly.

"Father? What's wrong?" Bardock looked up at his son with a melancholy smile, raising a hand to touch his son on his cheek.

"I... I have something I need to tell you," he said, voice cracking with deep emotion. Goku felt his heart sink. He'd never seen his father so upset since they'd found out about his heart illness.

"What is it father? Please, tell me." Bardock shook his head and told his sons of his journey, of the beast and the pact he had made.

"I had no choice!" he cried, now sobbing openly beside his son. "All the doctors in Satan City told me there was no cure, that you were bound to die within a year. I don't want to give you up, Goku, but if it means that you can live, I must!" Goku had listened to all of this without a words, gaze locked on his hands. Finally, he raised his head a gave his father a wide smile.

"I understand," he said. "You made the right choice, father. If you hadn't, both of us would be dead, and Raditz and Turles would be all alone. If the beast said he wasn't going to hurt me, then he probably won't."

"And you believe in the word of this beast?" Raditz snorted. Goku shrugged.

"Well if he wanted me dead, he wouldn't have bothered to let father go and take the beans to cure me. Besides, it just sounds like he's lonely. He probably doesn't get a lot of visitors in that abandoned place."

"For a reason!" Raditz countered. "Who in their right mind would live in the middle of the Great Forest. We all know what happened to it since the Prince disappeared. And if what father was saying is true, it's even inhabited by monsters. That beast probably feels right at home." Goku frowned but didn't say anything. The whole time, Turles had remained relatively quiet, passively taking in everything his father had said.

"So, will you go?" he finally inquired, looking at his youngest sibling. Goku shrugged from the bed.

"I don't have much of a choice. Besides, how bad could it be? The fresh air could do me some good, and the gargoyles sound nice!"

Turles rolled his eyes, ruffling his brother's hair.

"Always the optimist. Thought that last part I'd almost think to be a part of father's delusions."

"Hey, I cen assure you they were very real," Bardock insisted.

"Careful old man," Raditz chuckled. "You're getting senile." Goku laughed.

"Well either way, I'll find out if it's true or not when I go there, right?"

-

On the morning of the third day, Raditz and Turles helped Goku pack a few belongings, unsure of what he might need, while Bardock prepared a last breakfast for his son.

Done packing, the three young saiyans gathered around the table, where saiyan-sized stacks of pancakes and scones, and baskets of fresh bread were laid out on the table beside containers of jam and sticks of butter. Goku heartily dug in with his brothers, savoring the familiar foods. When they finished, the family reluctantly headed outside to part with their youngest member.

"Be careful Goku," Bardock warned. "The beast may have been lenient with me, but I could tell he has quite the temper. Try not to provoke him, will you?"

"I'll try!" Goku grinned. Bardock smiled, tears glistening in his eyes, and embraced his son.

"Stay out of trouble, squirt," Raditz playfully punched Goku in the shoulder. Goku punched him back, earning a rough ruffling of his hair.

"So what are we supposed to tell everyone else? You just disappeared one day?" Raditz asked jokingly, releasing the younger boy. Goku grinned.

"I dunno. Get creative. Maybe I was eaten by a saber tooth."

"There are no tigers this far north, you idiot."

Turles warmly embraced Goku, always having been rather fond of the youngest of them.

"Take care of yourself, Goku. You're strong, but not all that bright sometimes." He nudged the young saiyan gently in the cheek with a fist. Goku laughed and returned the gesture.

"Numbus!" Bardock called the cloud, which zipped over from a blot in the sky to jerk to a stop next to Goku. The young saiyan's eyes danced with excitement, and, slinging the relatively light pack over his shoulder, he jumped on the cloud. For a split second, he seemed to sink into it, but the cloud stood fast and loyally supported his rider.

"All right, well, see you guys around!" He said with a wide smile and a wave.

"If we're so unlucky," Raditz smirked. Turles nudged him with his elbow and waved back.

"Nimbus, go!" Goku cried, and without a second to spare, the cloud burst forward, bearing it's rider towards a whole new life.

…

**.:Author's Note:.**

The writing for this is so cheesy... haha. Oh well. It's a bit of a change I suppose. It gets better later on, though.

Comments, criticisms, complaints?

- Kerrigas


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

…

The flight to the Beast's household took a few minutes over three hours. The young saiyan, however, was too preoccupied with the new surroundings to notice the time. It was the furthest young Goku had ever been from home, and a sense of exhilaration and excitement filled his body. He shivered and grinned widely, hardly noticing the prick of the cold wind beating against his face.

The cloud began to descend as it passed over a thick forest of dark-leafed trees, hiding the earth beneath their cover. Goku gasped as the castle of the Beast rose into view. It was just as haunting as his father described, dark and crumbling, but filled with a kind of timeless majesty that spoke of a glorious past. The cloud descended until it hovered a few feet above the snow-covered ground and stopped. Goku took one look around him and leapt off the cloud to find himself shin-deep in snow.

"Woah!" he stumbled and caught himself as he tried to take a few steps forward. The saiyan took one step forward, then another, hopping over the thicker clumps of glittering snow until he reached the huge double-doors of the castle. Goku took one look behind him, where the cloud still hovered beside the start of the tracks breaking the snow, and knocked heavily on the door. It swung open without warning, and a soft, quiet, hiss of wind encouraged him to enter. Goku looked over his shoulder once more, only to find that the cloud had vanished. He clutched the strap of his pack, nervousness beginning to crawl at his stomach, and stepped inside.

If he'd thought the exterior of the castle was haunting and dark, it was nothing compared to the musty, dimly lit interior. It was almost as cold inside as out, but still and windless. The room was as quiet as a cemetery, and felt cold and hollow, like a discarded shell. For a few minutes, Goku wondered if this was all a joke by his father, and he was only in a long abandoned castle. The story about the gargoyles _did_ sound rather incredulous. Goku quickly shook this thought away. His father wasn't the type the lie about such a thing.

Suddenly, Goku heard a rustle behind him. He whirled around, senses on the alert, and noticed a gentle billowing of fabric against the window to his left. He took a few tentative steps towards it, catching his breath in his throat and straining his ears for the detection of anyone or anything.

"Boo."

Goku screeched and stumbled backwards, falling onto his backside. He yelped as his head connected with the ground and sat up, clutching his head in pain.

A series of cackles echoed through the room, and Goku was vaguely aware of a couple figures flitting around him. The cackling continued until a loud voice boomed through the room.

"Goten, Trunks! What did I tell you two about frightening our guests?" The cackling stopped immediately followed by a low whining.

"But ma…" one voice complained.

"No buts! Now get us some light so the poor boy can see." Goku was vaguely aware of a small, dark shape padding away from him, grumbling all the while, and the sounds of it leaping and hitting a wooden surface. It scuffled wordlessly for a while, paused, and suddenly a bright glow of light filled the room. Goku looked up to see two large candles flickering in clear glass vases on a wooden banister. A noise caught his attention, and Goku snapped his gaze down to see a small, pointy-eared gargoyle with sharp fingers, a pointy jaw, and a thin tail gazing up at him curiously with large, black eyes only a few feet away. It blinked, and Goku yelped, scurrying back.

"What…? Who are you?" he stuttered. Another gargoyle, larger this time, and slender, waddled up to him on two feet.

"Well, I would have thought that nice gentleman from before had told you," it said in a clear, feminine voice, which Goku recognized had addressed the others. He blinked, and remembered his father's story.

"Well yeah, he did, but I didn't think he was really serious," the saiyan muttered, looking down and blushing with embarrassment. The gargoyle pulled back its stone lips and laughed, baring sharp teeth in his direction.

"I'm not surprised. Honestly, I wouldn't believe it either, were I you. But come now, you must be tired from your journey, and cold, no doubt. It's a lovely day, but the snow is quite chilly." Goku nodded and stood to his feet, slapping his pants and following after the gargoyle. He soon noticed the other gargoyle following him closely, and heard the other jump off its perch on the banister and join the other.

Goku followed the female gargoyle through a door and into a large room, where a long table sat in the center of the room. The gargoyle whistled, and Goku watched in fascination as several other gargoyles in various sizes, though none reaching above his waistline, filed out from behind a curtain door.

"Tien, Yamcha, make our guest comfortable, will you? Chichi dear, make him some warm tea if you would, or would you like coffee, sir?" Goku snapped out of his shock and shook his head.

"Tea is fine," he said. The gargoyle nodded its head and glanced back at the crowd. "Krillin, go alert the master to our guest's presence." The gargoyle named Krillin, a small and sturdy gargoyle with a round head groaned.

"Do I have to? He's been unbelievably irritable since yesterday."

"Shush your whining and go!" the gargoyle snapped. Krillin sighed and trudged out of the room. The gargoyle excused the others and looked up at Goku, baring its teeth in what seemed to be a smile.

"Sorry about that, dear. These lazy bums don't know the meaning of hospitality. Most are used to using their muscles to solve problems, not their brains." Goku was about to ask what muscles she was talking about, considering most gargoyles looked quite scrawny and unthreatening, but he remained quiet.

"My name is Bulma," the gargoyle continued. "If you ever need anything, feel free to ask any one of us. And if any of them give you any trouble, tell me right away. They're all good folk though, so you should be fine." Goku nodded and managed a smile.

"Thanks Bulma," he said sincerely. This gargoyle didn't strike him as malicious in any way, and she behaved rather warmly, almost motherly, something he didn't mind at all.

"You're welcome," she beamed, brandishing her teeth. That smile was going to take some getting used to though, Goku reasoned. "But anyways, come, Tien and Yamcha seem to have set up a chair by the fireplace for you! Goten, Trunks, make a fire, will you?"

Goku allowed himself to be brought over to the chair, and enjoyed the warmth of a bright fire and a warm cup of tea. Unused to such pampering, the saiyan smiled, sipping conservatively at his tea until he noticed two pairs of eyes watching him. He set his mug down on his lap and smiled.

"Hi there," he said. The small gargoyles remained silent, but made no move to leave. "You two must be Goten and Trunks right? I heard Bulma call out your names." The gargoyles nodded, and one of them, slightly smaller and with an array of decorative spikes upon its head bared its teeth in a grin.

"I'm Goten!" he said in a youthful voice. "That's Trunks. He's a bit moody but he doesn't bite, just like the master." The gargoyle named trunks shot a glare at Goten before glancing back at Goku curiously.

"Nice to meet you, Goten and Trunks," Goku beamed. These gargoyles were pretty friendly, after all. His father hadn't said much about them, other than that they were rather hospitable and behaved fairly normal.

"So how old are you two?" he asked, attempting at conversation.

"I'm seven, and Trunks is eight. Though it's been about five since we've been like this, and I don't know if that counts." Goku cocked his head quizzically.

"Like this?" he began to inquire, when a sudden rumbling and distant crash interrupted him. The two gargoyle's heads shot up and swiveled towards the doorway.

"Oh, sounds like the master's coming." Trunks noted. Goten nodded and looked up at Goku.

"You'll be fine, mister. The master looks mean, but he's alright once you get to know him. Just like Trunks!" Goku chuckled as the other gargoyle elbowed his friend before they both leapt out of the room and behind the curtain. Goku pushed himself off the chair and set his mug on the table, readying himself for the presence of the beast his father had told him about as he heard the thumping of an approaching figure.

He heard the muffled voice of Bulma and a short grunt, and heavy footsteps began approaching his direction. Goku tried to relax himself, hoping the tension didn't show in his body.

When the beast walked through the doorway, Goku could only stand awestruck at the creature before him. It stood breathtakingly huge, at least eight feet in height, and was forced to duck through the doorway to enter the room. The beast wore a long, regal coat of navy blue interwoven with colored beads and silver designs, as well as a pair of baggy light gray silken pants tucked into gold-hemmed black boots. However, its human characteristics ended there. The creature was covered in a thick, dark gray pelt of fur that extended from a thick, silken mane above its head and flowed to a crimson red as it swept over its broad chest, rippling over taunt muscles, to the ends of its huge arms, which ended with thick, claw-like hands and sharp nails. Its face was that of some kind of long-muzzled ape or wolf, with deep black eyes and long, jagged white fangs, revealed as the beast pulled back its lips upon noticing Goku's presence.

It took all his willpower for the saiyan not to buckle down to his knees at the creature's fearsome presence, and Goku struggled to regain his composure. The beast said nothing, quietly observing him in silence. Goku fidgeted beneath its piercing glare, and decided to end the straining silence.

"Uh… hi," he said tentatively, his voice sounding too harsh against the silence. "My dad sent me here after spending the night to fulfill his promise. I hope you won't bear him any ill will." The beast said nothing before emitting a low growl from his throat, quickly followed by a brusque response.

"I see. Very good then, it seems your father is not as much of a fool as I thought." The beast began to pace around Goku, glancing up and down at him. "How old are you?"

"Uh… 19 sir," Goku replied.

"You're rather well-built, for a boy your age," the beast remarked without bias.

"Yeah, I've been training myself a lot since I was young," Goku said, cracking a small smile. He almost saw the creature's lip twitch in amusement.

"I see." The beast suddenly stopped and lurched forward. Goku yelped, dodging a huge fist, and blocked a secondary blow to his head. The force of the impact stung, but Goku leapt back, raising his guard warily. The beast bared its teeth, stood, and stared at him without blinking before whirling around. "Follow me and I will bring you to your chambers, where you will reside from now on." Without another word the beast strode out back into the entrance room. Goku paused, taken aback, before he grabbed his pack beside the chair and hurried after the beast.

"What is your name, saiyan?" the beast inquired over his shoulder as they climbed up the stairs.

"My name's Kakkarot, but all my friends call me Goku," Goku replied with a cautious grin. The beast snorted.

"Then I'll call you Kakkarot," he stated. Goku scratched his chin dubiously.

"Alright I guess," he muttered. "What about you? You must have a name right?" The beast uttered a low growl in his throat and stopped, pointing one clawed finger at a large pair of double-doors in front of them.

"These are your chambers," he said tonelessly, then glanced at Goku. "You may make yourself comfortable here. The entire castle is to your disposal, but you are never under any circumstances to enter the West Wing. As for my name, you may call me Beast. I have no other name now." With this, the beast turned and swept up the stairs without a backward glance, leaving Goku alone in front of the doors.

"Rather chipper fellow, isn't he," the young saiyan muttered at no one in particular before pushing open the doors and walking into his new room. It was huge, bigger than any one room in his house, or any two rooms for that matter, with gentle, peach-colored walls, a large wooden wardrobe, and a private bathroom. At the end of the room was a large bed big enough to fit at least three full-grown saiyans with a wooden frame, a large, red-curtained canopy hemmed in gold with a matching quilt. After the shock wore off, Goku managed to drop his pack and discard his coat before diving on the bed. He snuggled into the thick covers, moaning in delight. He lay there for several minutes before a small cough interrupted his rest. Jerking upright, Goku flipped over and noticed a small gargoyle in his room, the one by the name of Krillin if he remembered correctly.

"Hello, sir," it greeted him in a cheerful voice, "I was just checking up on you to see if you had found everything to your liking." Goku blinked and grinned.

"Yeah, it's fantastic!" he exclaimed. The gargoyle blinked and scratched its head.

"Really? Huh, and here I thought you would be freaking out," it mused. Goku cocked his head.

"Why would you think that?" he asked. Krillin crossed his arms, raising a skeptical stone brow.

"Well we have technically torn you from your home and forced you to live in captivity in a destitute, cursed castle."

Goku grinned widely. "Well now you're making it sound horrible. But really, it's not that bad. Sure, I kind of miss my family, but it could be a lot worse, you know. And this place isn't cursed, it's enchanted!" The gargoyle stared incredulously at the cheerful saiyan.

"Enchanted, you say?" he repeated. Goku nodded.

"Well yeah! I mean, I don't think Gargoyle's can usually talk, can they? Unless you're some new species I've never heard of until now?" Goku looked the gargoyle up and down curiously. Krillin sighed, placing a small claw on the side of his head.

"Well, that's close enough, I guess. But enough of that. Its best we let you rest and adjust yourself to the new place. I'll come call on you for dinner tonight." Goku grinned.

"Alright, thanks!" Krillin nodded before leaving, closing the door behind him. Goku chuckled to himself as he watched the young Gargoyle struggle to close the door without being able to reach the doorknob. When he heard Krillin's footsteps fade down the hall, he slumped back down on his bed, tucking his hands behind his head and looking up at the white ceiling. His thoughts roamed to his family, and he felt a sudden tug of sadness. He wondered if he would ever see them again. His father, his older brothers, his friends. Goku tried to shake the memories from his head. Thinking about it would only heighten his homesickness. His thoughts instead turned to the mysterious beast who had taken him in. He hadn't struck him as a particularly cruel being, though the beast clearly emanated power and toughness. Goku wondered if the beast, too, was enchanted. Why would he want Goku to stay with him? Maybe he was right, and the beast really was lonely. But then, he hadn't made much of an effort to socialize with Goku. The young saiyan grinned. Maybe he was too embarrassed, or awkward, perhaps. Before he realized it, the young man had slowly dozed off into a light, dreamless sleep.

…

Goku was awoken by a gentle knocking on his door. He mumbled and pushed himself up, rubbing his eyes groggily. It took him a few seconds to realize that he was not longer in the comfort of his bed at home, but in the strange, richly decorated room of the enchanted castle. He heard the knocking again, louder this time, and stumbled towards to door to open it. Krillin stood behind it, and looked up at Goku with a smile as he opened the door.

"Sorry If I woke you up, but dinner is ready. You must be hungry after your long journey." Goku grinned, now fully awake at the mention of food.

"You bet I am!" Krillin smiled in amusement and led Goku back down to the dining room. Several gargoyles squatted together in the middle of the room, their heads swiveling alertly as he entered.

"Oh look, he survived," a gargoyle with three eyes noted with amusement.

"Lay off the sarcasm, Tien. The master promised him protection, remember?" Krillin retorted as he padded over to the others. Goku grinned as Goten and Trunks scrambled over to him and greeted him with frantic waves.

"Well, clearly he's fine. And we have a dinner to attend to, so I suggest you all remove your lazy bums off the ground and get moving," Bulma stated, glancing over at Goku. Almost as if on cue, Goku's stomach released a loud growl and he chuckled embarrassedly. Goten and Trunks giggled, and Bulma smiled.

"We'll be right with you, sir," She led him over to the dining table, seating him in a chair at the end.

"Um, you can call me Goku," the young saiyan said over his shoulder. "Sir sounds a bit formal." Bulma blinked and grinned.

"Of course, Goku!" The gargoyle turned and ushered the other gargoyles into the kitchen behind the drapes. Goku sat patiently for a while until he noticed two pairs of eyes looking up at him. He smiled.

"Hey there, guys! How are you?" Goten and Trunks glanced at each other and then back up at Goku.

"Fine, Goku sir!" Goten said brightly, then, after a few seconds, "Trunks thinks you look a lot like the other guy who came by." Trunks smacked the other small gargoyle over the head, but glanced curiously up at Goku. The young saiyan laughed.

"That's because he was my father," he replied. The two young gargoyle's made a sound of understanding until they were interrupted by Bulma.

"Hey, you two! What did I say about bothering the guest? Go make yourselves useful in the kitchen before I use your stony hides as an ironing board." The gargoyles ducked beneath the chair and scrambled into the kitchen, ears flat against their heads. Goku chuckled.

"It's alright, I don't mind," he said. Bulma sighed, crossing her slender arms over her chest.

"It's been so long that we've had guests that they've forgotten their manners. Poor boys are bored stiff half the time." Goku smiled sympathetically.

"They're young, it's normal. They need to socialize." Bulma looked up at him, a touch of emotion in her gaze.

"I'm sorry about all this," she said quietly. Goku blinked.

"For what?" he asked quizzically. Bulma made a small motion with one of her claws.

"Snatching you away from your family like that. The master could have made a better bargain, in all honesty, but he… he has a hard time with people in general." Goku smiled understandingly.

"It's alright. If it weren't for him, I probably wouldn't be able to live for more than a year," he said softly. Bulma glanced up at him, surprised.

"Is that so? Why?" Goku scratched his chin.

"I caught a heart virus that's been spreading through the saiyan population for a while now. Only certain saiyans are susceptible to it, for some reason. I was supposed to die within a few months, but I was able to hold it off for much longer than predicted. However, the attacks were getting much more frequent, and I could feel myself weakening more and more each time. I knew I didn't have much longer to live. But," Goku smiled, "Beast saved my life, and this is the least I could do to repay him, for this and the hospitality you and he showed my father." The gargoyles regarded him with a mixture of surprise and respect, and Bulma finally managed a warm smile.

"I see. You might be the one, after all," she said softly. Goku blinked.

"The one? What one?" The gargoyle giggled.

"Oh nothing, just the hopeless musings of an old gargoyle." She brushed off his question with a wave of a claw and headed for the kitchen.

Goku shrugged to himself and turned his attention rather to the warm, delicious odors emanating from behind the red curtains. A few minutes later, Krillin and Tien emerged with a steaming plate of grilled chicken and sautéed potatoes and mushrooms, with Goten and Trunks following behind with plates of steaming vegetables, rice, bread, dumplings, and a bowl of gravy. As the gargoyles gently deposited the feast on the table, Goku could only help from drooling all over the table.

"Wow guys, this smells amazing!" he exclaimed excitedly, eyes round and eager. Krillin chuckled as he placed some silverware beside the hot plate.

"Enjoy, then." He invited. Without a second thought, Goku dove into his food with as much enthusiasm as his father had previously mustered.

Upon finishing his meal, Goku was ushered back to his room despite his insistence on helping in the kitchen. However, as soon as the young saiyan hit the bed, he instantly fell into a deep slumber.

The following morning, Goku groggily awoke searching half-heatedly about him for the clock on his bedside table. Goku was suddenly struck by the unfamiliarity of the room, and after a few moments, regain his senses as well as his memories. He felt his shoulders droop ever so slightly as images of his father and brothers flit through his mind, but quickly shrugged them away. He yawned and slipped off the large bed, walking across the room and pulling the deep crimson drapes away from the window. Goku groaned and blinked at the sudden infiltration of light into the room.

Once his eyes had readjusted, he unlocked the window and opened it, leaning into the streaming sunlight of a new day. Despite the chilly breeze, the sky was clear and blue, and the snow on the ground remained white, glittering, and untouched. The fluttering songs of colorful birds drifted with the wind, passing by his ears in an animated fashion. Goku sighed. It could be worse, after all.

A quiet knocking interrupted his doze, and he reluctantly pulled away from the window sill to open the door. Outside the door, Krillin stood

"Good morning, mister Goku. Would you like to go on a tour of the castle grounds this morning? It's a big place and we wouldn't want you getting lost." Goku nodded enthusiastically.

"That would be wonderful!" He exclaimed. The gargoyle grinned and turned around, waddling towards the door.

"Great! Follow me then. Breakfast is ready." Goku obediently leapt off his bed and followed Krillin out the door and down the hallway. The saiyan eagerly wolfed down his promptly prepared breakfast before following Krillin on his tour. The gargoyle led him through a series of hallways, rooms, and corridors, all whose size and grandeur rendered the saiyan speechless in awe. Intricate, high ceilings of delicately carved stone towered above him, and his footsteps echoed against the smooth marble floors with every step.

"This is our armory, one of the best in the country, may I add. Notice the variety of weapons, all crafted with the finest metals. As you can see, we even have a sword welded of Katchine. Of course, this sword was only ever wielded by royalty for its rarity and heaviness. Only the greatest, most powerful warriors were able to manipulate the sword in its full extent." Goku stared at the glimmering, obsidian sword that hung in the center of a large wall on which hundreds of weapons were hung, all shimmering and sharp without a hint of age and rust. Various suits of armor were hung on wooden stands alongside the weapon-layered wall, most notable a finely crafted set of white chest armor with golden shoulder plates and a long, flowing red cape buttoned over the back. Goku leaned forward curiously, studying the armor. He noticed a small mark in red and ran a finger over it.

"Hey, isn't this the royal crest?" He asked. Krillin stiffened and glanced at the suit nervously.

"Well, yes. That's… it's an old relic from the royal palace. But follow me, I have yet to show you the nicest rooms around." Krillin tugged Goku away from the armor and led him into the next room. Goku followed Krillin around for another long while through several beautifully adorned rooms including a living room, a ballroom, and expansive meeting rooms and private chambers. Every room was grounded with white marble and adorned with rich fabrics, velvet curtains, oiled landscape paintings, and intricate tapestries. Golden chandeliers supporting fresh red candles hung from the wood-beam supported ceilings, and the furniture all appeared to be carved from the richest of cherry-wood and mahogany. Curiously, Goku noticed that not a single room contained a portrait of what would have been the castle's ancient occupants, as he would have expected. The windows were all closed, and though everything appeared to have been recently dusted, the scent of mould and rotting wood was strong in the air.

"This is a rather curious castle," Goku mentioned. "Why are there no portraits? And the windows are all closed." Krillin bobbed his head in assent.

"Yes. The master did not bear… good relations with his forbearers. And neither does he wish for the windows to be opened, since he prefers the cold." Goku frowned.

"It's the middle of winter. Surely a bit of cool air will do him some good, then." The saiyan walked forward and, ignoring Krillin's blubbering protests, unlocked the glass-paned windows. They protested with a groan as Goku pushed them open, but obediently settled on either side of the wall. Goku sighed, inhaling the fresh scent of a cool breeze from the forest, and turned back to Krillin, whose stone face had adopted the furtive look of a guilty man.

"No need to look so afraid," he laughed, "if your master asks, just tell him that I opened the windows despite your warnings." Krillin nodded, a slight frown lingering, and turned to lead Goku back to the common room. Stomach growling, he was immediately led back to the kitchen for a mug of warm tea and a plate of blueberry scones.

"The master expects you to dine with him tonight," Bulma cordially informed him as she refilled the basket of scones. Goku nodded.

"That's fine."

"Your ensemble has been prepared and is on your bed. I will send someone up to aid you, if you like." Goku blinked.

"Ensemble?"

The gargoyle grinned. "Well, you must look presentable when dining with the master. He is rather picky about such things. He did pick out the suit himself though, might I add."

Goku lowered his eyes sheepishly, feeling slightly guilty. "I see. He really needn't have."

Bulma hid a giggle behind a claw. "Oh there's no need to be so modest. It's been ages since he's interested himself in anything but his brooding."

"Alright then," Goku said, smiling. "I'll wear it."

…

**.:Author's Note:.**

The chapters will be a bit longer now, and things will begin speeding up with the next chapter. Exposition is always a bit slow... especially for me.

Comments and critiques are always appreciated,

- Kerrigas


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

…

Goku spent the remainder of the afternoon discovering the outside of the castle. He sauntered about its walls, clambering through the ankle-deep snow that had only just begun to thaw under the warm sun, and deftly climbed the towers, allowing him a breathtaking view of the forest and a few villages beyond. Goku squinted at the horizon, and thought he caught a waft of Mr. Oolong's freshly baked bread. The saiyan felt his heart sink slightly, and knew it would take him a while before he would stop missing his old environment.

As the sun began to settle upon the horizon, Goku heard himself called by Krillin, and quickly returned to the castle where he was ushered to his room. He found, as Bulma had mentioned, a new set of clothes awaiting him on his bed. Goku raised first the moss-green trousers of silken material which shimmered in the light, ran his fingers along the golden-threaded sash and the sky-blue tunic, richly embroidered with golden thread and colored sequins. He called for Krillin, whose happy-go-lucky demeanor had earned him a fast friend, for advice on how to assemble the rich clothes. With the gargoyle's instruction, Goku slipped on the trousers and tunic, tucking the hem of the tunic into the pants and tying the sash about his waist. He was then presented a pair of soft boots of dark leather laced up with snow white threads. Goku stared at himself in the mirror, dazed by his affluent appearance. The clothes were surprisingly comfortable and loose, the fabric smooth against his skin.

"Are you ready, Goku?" Krillin called from outside the room.

"Yes, I suppose," Goku replied, glancing at himself once again and brushing aside a few bangs of his unruly hair. As handsome as he admitted he must look, he felt awkward and entirely self-conscious in the outfit, and hoped he did not look half the fool he felt.

"You look wonderful," Krillin exclaimed as he stepped out of the room. "The colors really accentuate your dark features." Goku grinned and scratched his chin.

"Thanks."

"Well come along then, the master doesn't like to be kept waiting." Goku followed Krillin down the stairs and into the dining room. Goku stifled a gasp as he passed through the large doors – the entire room appeared to have been completely redecorated. The room was bright, lit by soft gold light from a crystal chandelier and various candles spread throughout the room. The ground had been swept and waxed, the walls covered in red and golden tapestries, and the long wooden table was covered in steaming gold dishes piled with exotic foods. At the other end of the table, the Beast rose stiffly, hands clenching and unclenching as he watched the gaping young saiyan enter the room.

"This is amazing," Goku exclaimed. "I've never seen a room so beautiful!"

"Well of course," the Beast muttered, "it –is– the castle of a prince after all –" he was cut off as Tien nudged him roughly with a stony claw.

"What was that?" Goku asked.

"Nothing." The Beast gestured towards the table. "Sit down," he winced as he felt himself nudged again, "please." Goku smiled as they sat themselves simultaneously at opposite sides of the table. The Beast kicked Tien roughly under the table, disguising the noise by picking up a large silver pitcher and pouring the rich drink into his goblet.

"Wine?" he asked. Goku shook his head.

"I'm fine, thanks." The saiyan could hardly keep from salivating over the table as the strong scent of food washed over him.

"You can start eating, you know," the Beast scoffed, rather amused by the look on his guest's – or more precisely, captive's – face. Goku looked up at the Beast with a look of such awe and delight that took the Beast aback for several seconds before launching himself at the nearest fowl.

The dinner was relatively quiet, filled with the sounds of clattering silverware, gritting teeth, munching, slurping, and overall appreciation of the food before them. Goku tried a few times to begin a conversation, but the Beast's replies were always taunt, short, and cryptic, and he quickly gave up attempting to communicate.

As the last of the plates were carried off by the gargoyle's, Goku released a content sigh and glanced up at the beast, who had begun to rise out of his seat.

"Thank you very much for the meal, Mr. Beast," he said. His host glanced at him and grunted, acknowledging the thanks, before sweeping out of the dining room and leaving Goku alone with the flickering candles.

"Care for a cup of tea?" Goku turned his head and nodded at Bulma.

"That would be great, thanks," he said, following the gargoyle as it hobbled towards the kitchen. He sat himself across from the crackling fire and accepted the warm cup of tea from Bulma with thanks. The saiyan sipped contentedly until he heard someone approach. He looked down to see Tien crouched quietly beside the chair.

"This place… how long has it been this way?" Goku asked. "It feels like it's been abandoned for ages." Tien glanced up at Goku and traced a ridge on his left claw.

"This castle once stood strong and proud, just like it's owners, but the curse took everything away, and it's been like this ever since. I couldn't even tell you how long it's been. Everything feels so slow now." Goku cocked his head and sipped at the tea.

"It sounds lonely. Why don't you leave?"

The gargoyle shook its head. "There are many reasons. Responsibility to this castle, loyalty to my friends and my master. And it's not like I could return home even if I wanted to – not like this. This castle is our prison." Tien glanced up. "It's his prison."

"The Beast," Goku frowned. Questions spun through his mind, but he kept quiet and lifted himself off the chair."Well, I think I've had enough excitement for tonight. I'll go back to my room."

Tien nodded and Goku left the room, heading up the stairs towards his room. He paused at the split in the stairs and glanced up to his left at the darkened corridors and the closed doors. Goku hesitated, but his curiosity – and the burning desire to know more about the mysterious castle and it's even more puzzling owner – overcame his doubts and he quietly made his way up towards the west wing.

Goku padded down the dark hallway carpeted in dark red velvet that had long since frayed and faded to a mottled gray covered in dust and mold. He touched the doorknob of a dusty door, but the room was firmly locked, and the saiyan gave up after a few muffled tugs. He padded further down the corridor, touching the wall to keep from straying in the darkness, until he felt another door against his fingertips. He drew his hand down and tested the doorknob. This time, the knob turned willingly and Goku quietly opened the door, glancing through it.

The room was silent, dark, and empty. Goku entered and closed the door softly behind him, glancing around and allowing his eyes to adjust to the darkness. The room smelled strongly of must and mold and age, but the floor was clear of debris and dirt – the beast must have spent much of his time in this room. A faint ray of light penetrated the room through the jagged holes of torn, aged curtains. Goku sidestepped a broken vase and brushed aside a hanging cobweb as he neared the far end of the room. The space appeared to be some kind of personal study, indicated by a small desk and the number of queer, forgotten objects and portraits hung about the walls, all of which had been mauled and torn. One in particular caught Goku's attention – a particularly large portrait hung opposite the study desk highlighted by a soft light from the moonlit sky. Goku squinted and approached the portrait. The canvas had been brutally slashed apart in the middle, but Goku could still see the remnants of something familiar. He blinked as he recognized the same royal suit of armor he had seen in the castle armory and cocked his head, reaching up to smooth out a few of the torn strips.

Goku inhaled sharply and almost stepped back. Glaring back at him with piercing black eyes was the missing young saiyan prince. _Why does the Beast have a torn up portrait of the prince?_ Goku mused. He dropped his hand and turned around, stopping as his eye caught something peculiar. On the edge of the desk, amidst a pile of yellowing parchments, pens, and odd trinkets, was a pile of six perfectly round stones. On the top of the pile was a single, glowing, orange orb. Goku approached the table, curious, and reached out to touch the strange ball. Suddenly, the door slammed open, and Goku jumped in surprise, whipping his head towards the doorway.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Goku felt his heart skip a beat in terror as the dark silhouette of the beast loomed over him from the doorway, teeth bared and eyes dark with anger.

"I –" he started piteously, but the beast interrupted him, storming forward.

"I told you, I _ordered_ you not to enter the west wing! You had the entire castle to yourself, but instead to arrogantly seek to defy me!" Goku backed away from the advancing beast. He could feel the waves of anger and disappointment rolling off the creature, and suddenly realized the significance of his actions.

"Don't forget," the beast growled as he cornered Goku against the wall, "that you are my prisoner here. You are nothing in my presence, and I can do what I want with you."

"I'm sorry," Goku pleaded. "Really, I just wanted to know more –" The beast interrupted by grabbing him by the collar of his tunic and throwing him towards a pile of crates and furniture in the corner. Goku yelped as he crashed into the rotting wood, which crumbled under his weight. Ignoring the aching in his back and legs, he pushed himself upright, only to see the beast storming in his direction. Goku stumbled over the broken wood and darted out through the doorway.

"That's it!" he heard the beast howl at him from behind as he rushed down the corridor. "Run! Run like the pathetic coward you really are! I'll give you five seconds!" Goku threw himself down the stairs and ran for the large double doors.

"Goku, what in the name of all saiyans is going on?" Goku froze as Bulma called out to him from across the room. She took one look at his terrified face and frowned, eyes drooping in disappointment.

"I see," she said quietly. "That was foolish of you, Goku." Goku opened his mouth – he wanted to defend himself, to plead his innocence and his guiltless motives, but a booming roar interrupted him.

"Two!" it cried. Goku released a small whine and threw himself against the door, which creaked open and let him out.

"Nimbus!" he cried, running for the black gates. The strong, cold winds buffeted his skin as he leapt through the snow. "Nimbus!" he tried again, without response. Goku heard another roar and felt his heart leap into his throat as he dashed past the open gates and into the dark forest.

Goku stumbled aimlessly for several minutes, tripping over overgrown roots and ducking thick vines that laced themselves between trees. A thick white fog surrounded him, and the treetops were woven so tightly together that the stars and sky had been completely blotted out. The saiyan could hardly see anything for the darkness. He paused, panting heavily, and glanced around nervously. The forest was silent – eerily, unnaturally silent. Not even the calls of the owls or chirping of the cicadas interrupted the dank silence. Goku could feel his blood pounding through his fingertips, and could hear it pumping in his ears. He swallowed and staggered forward in the dark, knowing that he was completely and utterly lost. He suddenly heard a rumbling growl – like a deep cackle and froze.

"You can't run from me." Goku snapped his head towards where he thought he'd heard the voice, but the words echoed off the trees, and the darkness and fog made it impossible to locate anyone. He ran forward, throwing himself at the darkness, trying to discern his own harried breaths to the panting of his hunter, stumbling over rocks and roots and picking himself right back up to keep running. Suddenly, Goku fell over a particularly thick root and felt himself tumble over into a ravine.

The saiyan groaned, trying to ignore the pounding of his aching backside and the stinging of his scraped-up arms. He suddenly stilled and listened, shoving the aches and pains to the back of his mind. Not a leaf crackled. He remained prone for several tedious minutes until he felt himself safe and lifted himself off the ground. The ravine was several meters wide, and the walls on either side were steep and covered in crumbling soil and weak weeds. Goku suddenly heard something heavy slam into the ground behind him and whirled around. The dark silhouette of the beast straightened to its feet, looming over Goku in all its fearsome height.

"Found you," he growled. Suddenly, a high-pitched howl pierced the silence. Goku's eyes darted around him, but immediately returned to the beast, whose attention had been diverted by the sound. The beast sniffed the air cautiously, and he glanced around cautiously as if he had almost entirely forgotten Goku's presence. Goku slowly took a step back and froze when the beast growled.

"Don't move, or you're dead." Goku opened his mouth to retaliate but a sudden, whining growl interrupted him. He glanced at the beast but already knew it hadn't been him that made that noise. A snarl lashed through the darkness, closer this time, and Goku felt himself tense. He glanced through the darkness, trying to find the creatures. Another howl sounded not too far from his left, while an eerie whine echoed behind him. He could hardly keep track of how many there were, let alone what they were.

Abruptly, he beast released a mighty roar which was closely followed by several responding snarls, and suddenly, out of the darkness, six, huge, wolf-like animals descended upon them, teeth bared. Goku yelped as he was set upon by two of the mighty creatures. He immediately raised an arm, which was latched upon by the razor-sharp teeth of the first huge beast. Goku rolled along with the contact, throwing the creature off with a kick of his feet and pushed himself to his feet in time to connect his uninjured left fist with the jaw of the second leaping wolf. The animal yelped and crashed into the snow, only to leap to its feet and begin circling Goku with its partner. Goku could see, from the corner of his eyes, the beast fending four of the wolves off by himself. A warning snarl brought his attention back to the two creatures staring at him with hungry yellow eyes.

Goku willed himself to calm down and closed his eyes. Master Roshi's instructions were beginning to return, and he felt the familiar warmth inside of him building up. The first wolf snarled and leapt at him, but he was ready. He raised his arms and screamed, releasing a huge wave of energy which slammed into the wolf, sending it crashing into the ravine walls. The second wolf roared in rage and leapt for Goku's legs. Goku jumped aside and sent another ki bolt at the wolf, which barely managed to dodge the attack and landed beside its prone partner, which was struggling to pull itself up. Goku took a warning step forward, summoning a ball of ki in his hands. The creatures glanced at him before turning around and retreating into the darkness. Goku sighed in relief, but turned when he heard a high pitched yelp. The beast was battling the last pair of wolves on his own, a huge ball of ki the size Goku had never seen the likes of raised over his head. The beast launched the energy at the wolves, which had the decency to dodge and race out of the ravine with nigh a sound. Goku stilled, unsure of what to do as the Beast stood panting and staring after the wolves.

The beast turned to face Goku, who tensed and took a small step backwards. He looked at the beast cautiously, judging whether he or the other was in any condition to be running, when suddenly the beast took one step forward and collapsed to the ground. Goku stared, slightly bewildered and glanced behind him. He looked back at the beast, sighed, and trudged forward, throwing one of the unconscious beast's arms over his shoulder.

"Nimbus!" he called again. This time, after a few seconds, the small cloud zipped through the fog to hover at Goku's knees obediently.

"What took _you_ so long?" Goku grumbled. The cloud made no response and Goku sat himself on it with a sigh, dragging the beast on with him.

"Think you can carry both of us?" he asked the cloud. In response, nimbus lifted them easily a few feet and began shooting through the forest, clearing the canopy and making a beeline for the castle. Goku glanced behind him quickly, at the long stretch of fog-covered forest, and shook his head.

As they neared the castle, Nimbus began to descend until it skidded to a halt a few feet from the castle. Goku gently lowered the beast – whom he noticed was entirely unsupported by the cloud – into the snow before leaping off the cloud beside him. Ignoring the sharp pain in his injured arm, he dragged the heavy man behind him, inching his way to the castle doors, which suddenly swung out to reveal several of the gargoyles staring at them with wide round eyes.

"Goku!" he heard Krillin exclaim. "What happened? Are you alright?" Goku grunted and almost tripped over a thick block of ice.

"Shut your mouth for once Krillin and help get the master in!" Bulma chided. "And the rest of you, come on!" Tien, Krillin, Yamcha, Goten and Trunks darted out of the castle and each grabbed a section of their master's body heaving him up over their heads with surprising strength. Goku adjusted his grip on the beast by turning around and hooking his arms beneath the beasts' armpits and supporting his head against his chest, dragging him into the castle with the gargoyles' help. Inside, they hobbled to the small dining room by the fire and lay the beast on the ground.

"Oh dear, he doesn't look so good," Bulma fretted as she paced around the beast, checking his various wounds. Goku realized the beast had been quite injured as he observed several large gashes on his torso and a particularly nasty bite wound on his left arm.

"Chichi, bring me some hot water please, and the alcohol bottle. Goten, Trunks," the two young gargoyles snapped to attention, "the bandages are in the top cabinet of the bathroom, and bring a few clean rags." Goten and Trunks nodded and scurried off out of the room. Goku suddenly sneezed and felt someone tug at his left pant leg.

"Goku, you really should sit down. You must be freezing." Goku blinked down at Chichi suddenly realized that his skin was pale and chilled – in all the excitement and running about, Goku had forgotten about the impact of the cold on his body. He was hurried to an armchair by the fire, a thick woolen blanket wrapped over his shoulders and a steaming mug of tea thrust in his hands.

"Oh, dear," Chichi muttered. "Bulma, it seems Goku sustained some nasty cuts as well."

"Ah," Goku covered his arm with the blanket. "Don't worry about me. Beast is a lot worse off than I am." Chichi clicked her tongue and beckoned to Gohan and Trunks, who had returned with their arms full of bandages. Tien and Yamcha emerged from the kitchen, heaving a large steaming bucket of hot water between them.

"Tien, Yamcha, Krillin, help Bulma care for the Master's wounds. Goten and Trunks, pass me the bottle of alcohol please. Goku, dear, stretch out your arm please."

Goku obediently stretched out his arm and Chichi began dabbing it with a rag soaked in hot water, gently cleaning off the crusted blood from the wound. Once finished, she popped the cork off a bottle with clear-colored liquid inside. Goku hissed as she began pouring the alcohol on his arm, hands clenched and teeth gritted against the stinging pain. She finished and passed the bottle to Chichi before accepting a rag from Goten and drying the wound before wrapping his arm in bandages.

"Thank you," Goku said quietly as she finished. "How is Beast?" Chichi glanced back at the prone master of the castle, who had been stripped of his shirt and was still being dabbed with alcohol.

"He'll make it," Bulma said. "He's fine, just exhausted a lot of power. Besides, I think it's time you explained what happened, last we saw, you were high-tailing out of here with the Master angry and hot on your trail. If I didn't know better I'd think you two injured yourselves like this."

"It was my fault," Goku admitted, head lowered in shame. "I couldn't control my curiosity and went into the West Wing. The Beast found me and chased me out, and I don't know – I was terrified – so I ran. He followed me into the forest, but I didn't want to fight him, so I kept running until I feel into a ravine. Then these, these things attacked us. Like wolves but huge and vicious. I fought two off on my own, but he was attacked by four. He managed to beat them off, but I think we was so exhausted and injured that he, well, blacked out." The gargoyles were silent for a while, then Goten padded forward and looked up at the saiyan.

"Thank you for coming back," he said. Goku stared silently, and then smiled.

"I'm glad to be back."

…

**.:Author's Note:.**

Obviously this chapter was highly influenced by Disney's rendition of Beauty and the Beast. It starts to get more original later, I promise. Thank you for reading!

Comments and critiques are always appreciated,

- Kerrigas


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

…

It wasn't until the eve of the second day that the Beast finally awoke in the bed of his personal chambers. Goku watched as his hand began twitching, and he groggily blinked open his eyes.

"How are you feeling?" he asked softly. The Beast said nothing, only glanced around, dark eyes scanning the room before landing on Goku.

"Terrible," he finally replied. "How long have I been sleeping?"

"About two days."

The Beast sighed. "What are you doing here?" It was more of a statement than a question.

"I was looking after you. You were running a fever. We were going to use a senzu if you didn't wake up today."

The Beast closed his eyes. "I mean, what are you doing _here_?"

Goku said nothing for a while. The early songs of sparrows fluttered through the open window.

"I couldn't leave."

"You fended off two of those beasts by yourself. Why didn't you fight me?"

"I didn't want to fight you."

"Why didn't you leave me in the forest after I collapsed? You could have ran away – ran home."

Goku smiled. "Many reasons."

The Beast opened his eyes and pushed himself upright. Goku stood from the small armchair he'd been sitting in to help, but the Beast shot him a warning glance. The Beast threw off the pale gold covers and threw his feet over the side of the bed, flexing his hands and arms. White bandages still covered his chest and arms, and he tore them off, observing the damage. Three ugly gashes riddled his chest, and his arms were covered in scars.

"Do you need anything?" Goku asked. The Beast shook his head and stood, testing his balance before walking to the window and leaning against the wall. Goku pursed his lips and glanced up.

"You're the missing prince Vegeta, aren't you," he said. The beast started, then glanced away.

"You're a fool," he said. Goku managed a small smile.

"I know. I'm sorry. I had no right to enter that room without permission."

Prince Vegeta looked at him. "No, you didn't," he growled, then sighed. "But I had no right to chase you out into the forest after making you come here."

"I came of my own will," Goku replied, smiling. "Just as I returned."

"You must really hate your home," Vegeta snorted.

"Why would you say that?"

"Why else would you want to stay here?"

Goku leaned back in his chair. "I agreed to stay. Not to mention you _did_ threaten my family."

Vegeta narrowed his eyes, then pulled back his lips in a feral grin. "I suppose I did."

Goku shook his head bemusedly."I think you should rest a little while longer," he said. "Bulma may want to check your wounds."

"Don't tell me what to do," the Beast growled. "And the woman can keep her busy hands to herself. I'm perfectly fine." Goku frowned and stood up, tapping Vegeta's chest with his knuckles in a light but firm way. The Beast hissed in response and glared up at Goku with a snarl.

"How dare you –"

"You're still hurt," Goku interjected. "You need to rest until that wound heals up. I can get you a senzu if you wish, but then you can't leave your room until I bring it." Vegeta growled but made no move of defiance, which Goku took as a message of compliancy. "So would you like a senzu then?"

Vegeta nodded. "Take one for yourself as well," the Beast added, "your arm hasn't fully healed."

Goku blinked and grinned. "Thanks," he said. "Oh, you must be starving. I'll have Chichi and Bulma make you something. I had a roast turkey to die for the other day." The Beast looked at him pointedly and Goku raised his hands compliantly.

"I'll get the senzu and fetch you some food." Goku promptly left the room and hurried out of the castle, stopping by the kitchens on his way to ask Chichi to prepare some food for the injured prince. He then threw on a cloak handed to him by a reprimanding Bulma and exited through the large double-doors. A light drizzle of snow fell through the air as Goku made his way to the senzu patch, remnant of the harsh storm from the other day. He plucked two small green beans from the tangled plant, rubbing one of them between his thumb and forefinger. How mysterious that these little beans could contain so much power – the power of life over death. But for all they could do, it seemed they could not lift the enchantment on Vegeta and his attendants. Goku pocketed the senzu and returned to the castle.

"How is the master doing?" Goku turned to see Yamcha looking at him concernedly. The saiyan smiled.

"Quite well, actually. Irritable as always, but that should be cured by a senzu and a good meal."

The gargoyle raised his eyebrows. "A senzu? The master allowed you to pick one?"

"One for him and one for myself," Goku asserted. Yamcha's stony eyes practically bulged from their sockets.

"He let you take one for yourself?" the gargoyle exclaimed. Goku nodded, slightly taken aback.

"Is something wrong?" he asked cautiously.

"No," Yamcha answered slowly, "only, the master is very protective of his senzu. They grow slowly, and are of great value to him. He rarely takes one for himself, and it is even more rare for him to give one to another, especially without a price in return."

"I see," Goku said quietly, before breaking out into a large smile. "I suppose I should consider myself lucky then." Yamcha coughed, mouth tugging into a smile before he crawled off. Goku stopped by the kitchen to see if anything was ready.

"I've got some tea heating up, but you can take this up to him for now," Bulma said. She handed him a plate filled with bread, cheese, various cold-cooked vegetables including beets and potatoes, as well as several slices of cold meats and fruity confectionaries. Goku felt his mouth salvate as he inhaled the scent, and Bulma laughed at his expression.

"Don't fret, I prepared you a plate as well." Goku beamed as she pointed to a similar plate sitting on a stool beside him. He leaned over to place a quick, grateful kiss on her forehead before snatching up the plate.

"Thanks a bunch, Bulma!" he said before skipping out of the doorway.

"Oh my…" Bulma touched her cheek, blushing.

…

The prince was sitting up in his bed, gazing out through the window when Goku returned. The dark fur around his face shuddered lightly in the breeze, and his eyes appeared dull even in the bright light. He turned his head, eyes narrowing upon Goku's entry.

"I brought food!" Goku exclaimed. "And medicine, of course." He set the plates on the bed, settling cross-legged at the foot of the prince's bed without hesitation and pulled the two senzu from his pocket. He handed one to the beast, who accepted it without word and ate it. Goku watched as the small, untreated scratches that hadn't been bandaged vanished, leaving soft red and black fur in its place. Fascinated and curious all the same, Goku swallowed his within two bites, waiting patiently for the results. Suddenly a surge of energy flowed through him, reaching out to every vein in his body. His weakness faded, the pains and itching of his wounds vanished, and all fatigue lifted from his shoulders, leaving him breathless and thrilled.

"Oh wow!" Goku breathed in amazement. "This is amazing!" He tore off the bandages from his arm and flexed his hand, gazing at his completely unmarked arm in the light of the morning. Across from him, the beast had begun removing his own bandages, revealing an unscathed torso also free of its previous injuries.

"Are these magic?" Goku asked. Vegeta glanced up at him and flexed his arm experimentally, clenching and unclenching dark, clawed fingers.

"They were given to me a long time ago, a 'gift' to accompany the curse."

"You mean the same person who cursed you gave you the senzu?" Goku asked. The prince nodded. "But why?"

"I don't know," Vegeta snapped. "He cursed me and my land, leaving me nothing. Whether or not he gave me the beans means nothing, and changes nothing."

Goku chewed on a slice of bread and meat. "Why were you cursed?" Goku asked. The beast whipped his head around and glared at Goku, baring his teeth.

"Do not ask such a thing of me! Keep your nose to yourself and stop meddling in other people's affairs." Goku flinched at the prince's sudden snarling and pouted quietly over his plate, stuffing cheese and meats in his mouth to stifle the growing number of questions. The prince stared at the quiet saiyan for several seconds longer before turning to his plate and devouring the food. Once finished, the prince threw off his covers and slipped into a fresh tunic, stopping only at the doorway to look back at the young saiyan. After some hesitation, he said, "If you wish, tomorrow we can spar. I have seen you fight, and I see potential in you."

"I would very much like that, your majesty," Goku said, lips parting into a wide grin. The prince snorted and left the room.

…

Bulma and Krillin found prince Vegeta leaving the training room, dark fur slick with sweat and knuckles bruised and battered from the strenuous practice.

"Ah, prince Vegeta sir," Krillin called. "Bulma and I were wondering if we could talk to you." The prince glanced at them and continued walking.

"What is it?" he asked, retrieving a white towel from a nearby cupboard.

"Well, you see," Krillin stammered before he was interrupted by a nudge from Bulma, who placed her claws on her hips and stared up at Vegeta.

"Well first of all, I would like to say that you could make some effort here, Vegeta. I mean, you haven't been making the greatest impression on the poor boy, running off and terrifying him like that." The beast snorted, rubbing the towel behind his neck.

"It'll teach the nosy bastard not to ignore my orders. And what do I care what impression I make on the kid anyways?"

Bulma rolled her eyes. "Oh come on, you know why. Isn't he the one we've all been waiting for? He could lift the curse, Vegeta. He could set us free."

Vegeta stared at her. "That… Kakkarot?" What are you saying? He could never… I couldn't…" the prince looked away. "It isn't possible. Not anymore. Anyway, he's nothing but a commoner, and he's rude and clumsy, and completely childish."

"Well then why did you have him come here?" Bulma sighed. "You must have believed there was a chance."

"I simply though he would make a better prisoner than that idiot father of his."

"Yes well, I've never seen you treat a prisoner to dinner that way," Bulma smiled. The prince snorted and strode past them. The gargoyles hurried after him, Bulma sporting a victorious smile on her face.

"Stop being so stubborn, Vegeta. You know as well as I that it could happen. He may be childish, but he is pure. He shows neither fear nor repulsion towards you, and he stayed with you after you were attacked, returning when he could have run away." Vegeta roughly pulled open the large double doors and strode into the living room, barking orders at Krillin to fetch him a glass of water.

"You don't know what you're saying," he snarled at Bulma, pacing up and down the room. "He's a prisoner. He only does what he has to survive. He couldn't leave on his own. He had no choice but to come back."

"He could have left you for dead."

"He's a sentimental fool."

"He could love you, Vegeta."

"No one could ever love me!" Vegeta roared. The prince's words echoes off the wall of the room, shocking the gargoyle to silence. "Look at me, Bulma," he said, softer this time, "I don't even look like a man anymore. I'm a monster; a cruel, cold, selfish monster doomed to remain locked and alone in this ruined castle for the rest of my life. I won't chase a dream on account of a woman's musing." Bulma narrowed her eyes.

"Don't you forget that you are the only one cursed here, Vegeta," Bulma growled. "You most loyal subjects chose to stay by your side and we too suffer the consequences of your actions. If there is any chance for us all, we will take it." Her eyes softened and she took Vegeta's hand in her claws.

"Please, Vegeta, for us and for yourself, let yourself hope again. You aren't all bad – if you were, we would have left you long ago. I'm sure that Goku will see past your stubbornness and see the good in you." Vegeta stared at the small hands holding onto his and sighed resignedly.

"You really are all such meddling fools," he muttered. "Do what you wish." Bulma grinned, her teeth bared in pleasure.

"Thank you, Vegeta. I'm sure you will not regret this." The gargoyle dashed away just as Krillin returned, balancing a glass of water above his head.

"I assure you, sir, I had nothing to do with that," he said. Vegeta smirked and downed the glass.

"I'm afraid that either way, something new is coming."

…

"Invite him to dinner tonight." Shortly after waking up, Vegeta found himself confronted by a determined Bulma in the dining room.

"What?"

"Invite him to dine with you tonight, after you two are done beating each other to a bloody pulp."

"Why should I?" he replied, narrowing his eyes suspiciously as he cracked an egg open on the edge of the table and swallowed it raw.

"Because you need to start wooing him. And how many times do I have to tell you to cook that?" Vegeta doubled over, coughing violently.

"What? When did I ever say I was going to woo him?" he demanded. Bulma crossed her arms.

"Well you need to if you're ever going to get him to fall for you. First things first, we'll need to get you cleaned up and polished. He needs to see the good side of you, remember?"

Vegeta resisted the urge to send a ball of ki flying her way and instead swallowed a second egg.

"Fine. But don't expect me to make any effort," he snarled, sweeping out of the room.

"You'll have to make some if you want to get anywhere!" Bulma called after him. "That man is hopeless," she muttered as he disappeared through the doors.

…

Goku was summoned to the outdoor courtyard by Yamcha, who'd relayed the prince's message that they would meet at dawn. He dressed quickly and comfortably, rushed through a warm breakfast laid out and prepared by the gargoyles, and hurried to the front courtyard. The dawn sky was still a deep blue and the horizon a glistening orange, and the crisp wind blew gently over the soft layer of snow. Goku paused outside of the large double-doors. The prince stood in the center of the courtyard, clothed in nothing but silken blue pants and black boots and practicing a variety of jabs and kicks. Goku felt his pulse quicken and his heart race simply from the pure energy and power that emanated off the creature. Thick muscles ripples beneath the dark fur, powerful claws swiped through the air, sharp, cruel teeth snapped at the air – Goku truly realized what a creature the prince had become. He wondered to himself what the prince really looked like, if he truly contained this much power. He remembered the portrait of the handsome, dark-haired man he'd caught a glimpse of in the Beast's room and, for a moment, could see the same dark, confident and merciless eyes. The prince suddenly stopped and turned his gaze to Goku, beckoning him with one claw.

"I want you to attack me," he said as Goku approached. "I need to gauge your strength before anything." Goku nodded and crouched into a defensive position. The beast did the same, and watched him unblinkingly. Goku swayed, placing his weight on his hind foot before launching himself forward and swinging his fist at the prince. Vegeta immediately parried the blow, sweeping it aside and simultaneously swinging his left leg out. Goku blocked the kick with his knee and sent two more jabs to the prince's head and abdomen, which were easily blocked. He leapt back only to immediately shoot forward and exchange heavy blows with the prince. Vegeta blocked and parried, attacking when he saw available openings, but Goku's guard was strong and he managed to avert every hit. He retreated, gathering ki in his hands, and sent a series of blows at his opponent. Vegeta leapt aside, dodging them all, and Goku used the diversion to attack him directly. Vegeta, however, caught him at the last minute and grabbed his arm, flinging him over like a sack of potatoes. Goku rolled to his feet and stood defensively.

"You're quick," the prince noted. "And you have a strong guard. With practice, you could become very strong."

"Teach me then," Goku said, grinning.

The prince crouched, arms outstretched at his sides in an aggressive stance.

"As you wish."

…

**.:Author's Note:. **I figured Goku would find find a good ol' spar is preferable to waltzes, anyway.

Comments and critiques are always appreciated,

- Kerrigas


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

…

Several hours past noon, the two warriors finally declared their spar over. Both saiyans were covered in bruises and soaked in sweat, and sat sprawled out on the earth, panting heavily.

"That was great," Goku gasped, chest heaving. "I haven't had a good fight like that in ages." Vegeta grunted in assent kicking up a pile of dirt. The entire courtyard's design had been completely modified, and the once-undisturbed snow cover a had been blasted and pounded into mounds of earth and snow with craters carved every which way. A gentle snow had begun to fall from the developing clouds above. Vegeta pushed himself to his feet an padded to the edge of the gateway and plucked two senzu from the bush, handing one to Goku.

"It's best if you look presentable tonight."

"Why is that?" Goku asked, swallowing the bean and looking up at the prince. "Are we expecting company?"

Vegeta snorted. "As if. You're having dinner with me tonight."

Goku raised an eyebrow. "I am?" he asked bemusedly. The prince narrowed his gaze.

"Yes. Unless you have other plans, in which case you might as well cancel them."

"I suppose a polite invitation would have been too much to ask for," Goku laughed. "But yes, I'll have dinner with you tonight." Vegeta coughed and crossed his arms, averting his gaze. If he hadn't been covered in fur, Goku would have guessed he was blushing.

"Good," the prince said simply. "I'll expect you around seven then."

…

As soon as the prince returned to his room, he was snatched by two gargoyles and pushed into the readily prepared bathtub. Ignoring the prince's vehement protests, Bulma and Chichi scoured every inch of his skin and washed his fur with lavender soap, combing out the tangles and scrubbing his pelt free of dirt. Once finished, they toweled him off, brushing and oiling his dry fur until it glistened and clipping out the stray clumps.

"You'll look simply dashing tonight, my dear," Chichi squawked in pleasure.

"I'm a monster, I never look dashing," the prince growled. Bulma sniffed.

"Nonsense. Besides, that doesn't mean you can't make an effort. Better a civil beast than an unkempt one, in my book." Once deemed suitable, the gargoyles rushed him back into his room and began piling attire on his bed, chattering over which coat would make the nicest impression, and which shirt looked best with the regal blue pants. Finally, the prince was ordered into a white dress shirt with a dark blue button-up overcoat lined in gold, with deep blue silken pants and tall brown buckle-up boots. His dark mane was brushed back and the pleats in his clothes all smoothed out, and when presented in front of a mirror even Vegeta couldn't deny that he didn't look much better than before.

"Not quite so savage-looking now, aye?" Chichi winked. "You'll have that dashing saiyan all over you in no-time." Vegeta snorted and fiddled with his cufflinks until Bulma slapped his hand away.

…

In the mean time, Goku was being fussed over by Krillin and Yamcha, who had both received strict orders from Bulma to make Goku as presentable as possible. After showering, they sprayed him with wild-flower scents, a favorite of the master's, and dressed him in reds and gold.

"I don't think we can do much with his hair, though," Yamcha muttered to Krillin, who nodded in agreement.

"Sorry," Goku said, grinning apologetically. "But I'm not quite sure why I need to wear all this stuff," he said as Krillin added a gold sash around his waist and draped a deep red brocade coat over his shoulders.

"Well, you're having dinner with the master tonight, and it's only proper that you should look nice. As you've noticed, he doesn't have many guests, and formal dinners aren't his forte. If he's making an effort, don't you think you should?"

"Why is Vegeta making an effort for me?" Goku asked honestly. Krillin scratched his chin with a claw.

"The prince doesn't think ill of you, Goku. He really does like you, he simply has difficulty expressing it like most people." Goku blinked and then smiled.

"He is a bit strange," he said. "But I like him too, I suppose. He definitely isn't all bad. Just a bit hard-headed." Krillin grinned and glanced at the clock.

"It's time now. Come; let's not keep the master waiting!" Goku was pushed and hurried out of the room, and meekly made his way down the stairs and towards the dining room, realizing, as he approached, "It's time now. Come; let's not keep the master waiting!" Goku was pushed and hurried out of the room, and meekly made his way down the stairs and towards the dining room, realizing as he descended that his palms were sweating and his shirt felt too tight around his neck. Before he could loosen it, he was shoved into the dining room.

The room was no less beautiful than it had been the first time, though gently illuminated only by a few candles along the walls. Herbal incenses lavished the air with sweet, surprisingly calming scents, and overflowing bouquets of exotic flowers adorned the table, which was covered in steaming dishes of heaping roasted vegetables, rice and lentil plates, and a whole roast boar marinated in a light berry sauce.

Across the dining room, Goku spotted the prince and stifled a gasp of surprise. The saiyan prince's once mottled fur gleamed in the candle-light, brushed back and clipped to civility. He was adorned in beautiful blue silks that complemented his red and black mane, but looked almost awkward standing over his chair.

"You look great, Vegeta!" Goku said. The beast blinked and coughed.

"Uh, thank you. You look very… nice."

"I would hope." Goku grinned. "Krillin and Yamcha really put some effort into dressing me up tonight."

"I can assure you," Vegeta said dryly as he pulled his chair out and settled in, "Bulma and Chichi had the same idea." Goku laughed at settled in. The beast pulled out a large knife and set to carving out slices of the boar as Goku piled his plate with vegetables, potatoes, and rice. The dinner was light and relaxed, and, encouraged by the gargoyles, a pleasant conversation was maintained. By the end of the dinner, the two exchanged honest good-nights, and left their separate ways.

"Well I think that went rather well," Krillin exclaimed as he accompanied Goku to his room.

"Yeah," Goku agreed, "he's not that bad. He should smile more, though."

Krillin made a noise. "His smiles are a bit… rare. And intimidating, for the most part."

"I can imagine," Goku laughed.

…

A few months passed. The snow began to melt away as spring reared its head, lavishing the forest with sunlight. Bright flowers in yellows, reds and blues sprang up around the castle, and the once-snow covered expanse was covered in lush green grass. Vegeta trained Goku in sparring until he realized the saiyan was quickly going to surpass him. Goku even quickly learned the Air Dance, and soon they began practicing at different altitudes. They would break between spars to go mushroom and berry hunting in the woods, occasionally bringing back a boar or two for dinner. The gargoyles urged Vegeta to woo the younger saiyan, but the beast was always too reluctant, no matter how comfortable Goku seemed around him.

One day, as they sat in the grass with a picnic of cold meat, cheese, and fruit, Goku asked how Vegeta had been cursed.

"It was my own damned fault," Vegeta said. "I refused an old namek shelter on a cold day, and he turned out to be the Namekian Guardian. He cursed me and all who lived in my castle, and since then I've been cast out, treated like a monster. With the help of ancient magic, I sheltered myself from others by encouraging this forest to grow around the castle, and the curse turned many of the beasts inside it into monsters. No one ever came here. Not until your fool of a father." Goku listened to this quietly, nibbling at a cold cut of boar.

"If my father hadn't ventured here, he wouldn't have been able to save me, and you would still be alone here."

Vegeta looked away. "Better be dead than stuck here," he muttered.

Goku frowned."I don't think that way. I would much rather be here than dead from that horrible disease."

Vegeta stared at the saiyan."Is it really not so bad here?" he asked. "With me?"

Goku shook his head. "Not really. I'm enjoying myself, for the most part, only…" he trailed off, looking toward the dark forest.

"Only what?" Vegeta asked. Goku sighed.

"I miss my family. It's been… a while. I feel like I haven't seen them in so long."

The beast looked at Goku. He had known for the past few weeks that Goku was beginning to miss his former life. The quick glances toward the forest, the smiles that began to feel forced, the lacking enthusiasm for roasted meat… it all pointed toward homesickness. Vegeta sighed.

"Come. I want to show you something."

Goku followed the prince into the castle and up the stairs, slightly nervous, but willing, when Vegeta led him towards the west wing and into his room. Goku glanced at the pile of stones on the desk, noticing with a start that the single orange orb had begun fading, and had already lost most of its glow. He pulled open the drawer of the crooked, dusty desk, and removed a large, clear glass orb, which he held out to Goku.

"This orb will show you whatever you wish," he said. Goku stared in awe and cradled the orb in his hands.

"Show me my family." The orb shimmered and suddenly, a clear image materialized within it. Goku gasped as he saw his home cottage, surrounded by cut grass and flowers, just as he'd last seen it in the spring. He watched as the orb drifted into the cottage, where Raditz was setting up the table, and then turned to Turles as he entered from the back door, ax in one hand and firewood in the other. Turles dropped the firewood by the doorway and rustled Raditz' head before heading for his fathers' room. Goku watched curiously as the orb followed Turles into the dark room. As Turles tugged the curtain open, Goku gasped and almost dropped the orb. His father was lying in the bed, pale and sickly-looking, his face clammy with sweat and the bags beneath his eyes a hideous purple.

"No!" Goku cried. "This can't be happening!" The beast, startled by Goku's outcry, glanced at the orb.

"Kakkarot, what's wrong?" he asked. Goku shuddered and held the ball to his chest.

"It's my father. He's suffering from the same disease I had! I don't understand! He never showed any signs before!" Goku stared at the orb then up at Vegeta. "Vegeta, please," he begged. "You must let me cure him." Vegeta started as Goku's desperate eyes looked up at him pleadingly. "He'll die! I can't let him die! Not like this!"

Vegeta felt anger rile up inside him. "So what?" he snarled. "I've already saved his life once. It's not my problem he couldn't save himself. I owe him nothing."

Goku flinched and his eyes hardened. "He's my father, Vegeta. Without him, I would be dead!"

"He gave you up to save his own skin!" Vegeta snarled. "He stole from me, and when I threatened to kill him, he begged for his life like a coward and gave you up without a thought!"

Goku glared at the prince. "He did it to save my life. Those senzu are the only thing that can cure this disease!"

Vegeta snorted. "It doesn't matter. He pledged to keep you here, and here you will stay. You are first and foremost my prisoner, understand?" Goku's eyes widened and his shoulders tensed. He threw the orb, which bounced off the floor and rolled under the table.

"I thought you kind, Vegeta," he hissed. "Now I see I was mistaken. You have no humanity left in you whatsoever." With that he turned away and stormed out of the room.

…

**.:Author's Note:. **Dramaaa~

Comments and critiques are always appreciated,

- Kerrigas


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

…

Vegeta howled, grabbing the nearby table and throwing it. It cracked against the wall and fell in a crippled heap onto the floor. He paced back and forth, snarling and huffing. Why couldn't the stupid boy understand! He was supposed to stay here! A deal was a deal, and he couldn't just let him go every time some idiot was dying! Vegeta glared at the orb, tempted to kick it out the window, but instead sighed heavily and slumped to the floor, rolling the enchanted object into his hands.

"Show me Kakkarot," he said. The orb shimmered and focused in on Goku's room. The saiyan was lying in his bed, head tucked in his pillow, shoulders trembling. Vegeta closed his eyes and dropped the orb, letting it roll away into a corner.

"I'm such a fool," he whispered.

…

Goku started as he heard someone knock on his door. He hoped it wasn't Krillin or Chichi again, who'd looked dumbstruck as he'd hurled himself into his room and refused to let anyone in. He already felt guilt creeping up on him at his actions.

"Come in," he said, wiping hurriedly at his eyes. He flinched as Vegeta stepped in, instead of the gargoyles he'd been expecting.

"What do you want now?" he muttered, looking away. The prince stood awkwardly in the middle of the room. Finally, after a few seconds of what appeared to be honest indecision, he stepped forward and held out his hand. Goku stared at it momentarily, confused, before tentatively giving up his hand. Vegeta pulled him up and held Goku's hand in his own, stroking it with leathery hands. Goku felt his hand go slightly numb and tried to ignore the heat crawling up his face. Suddenly, the prince turned Goku's hand over and pressed a small object into his palm, closing it, and releasing him. Goku blinked and opened his hand, gasping when he saw a green senzu nestled in the middle.

"Vegeta, I…"

"Three days," the prince said. Goku blinked.

"What?"

"I'll give you three days. You can heal your father and oversee his recovery for three days. Then you must promise you will return." Goku's face broke out into a brilliant smile, and before Vegeta could react, the saiyan had wrapped his arms around Vegeta's chest, enveloping him into a hug.

"Thank you so much Vegeta! I promise I'll come back!" He pulled away, grabbed a coat from the closet and opened the window, whistling for his companion cloud. Without a look back, he threw himself out of the window and shot out over the forest on the nimbus.

…

The ride back to the village was prompt, but every minute felt like agony to the impatient saiyan. It wasn't until he caught a glimpse of the thatched roof of his house that he allowed the nimbus to slow in descent. Goku leapt off the cloud before it had even reached the house and threw himself at the door. He yanked it open and released a cry of surprise when he collided with a larger body.

"Goku?" Goku looked up to see Turles, his features frozen in shock.

"Turles!" Goku exclaimed. Excited as he was to see his older brother again, he glanced towards his father's room. "Turles, how is father? I saw him – is he sick?"

Turles said nothing, staring at Goku as if he were a mirage, and finally managed to work out his brother's words.

"I… yes… he seems to have caught the Sleeping Death. Goku, how did you escape?"

"The Sleeping Death?" Goku asked, squeezing past his brother's frame and heading toward his father's room.

"It's what the villagers call it." Turles followed Goku, never leaving the young saiyan from his sight. "Goku, look at me. Look at me!"

Goku felt a hand grab his arm and was whirled around to face his anxious brother's face. "What are you doing here? Have you escaped? How did you know about father?"

As the questions spilled from Turles' lips, Goku gently removed his prying grip and smiled reassuringly. "I'll explain everything in due time, but I need to see father first. Is he in his room?"

"Yes… yes of course. He's in his room."

"Thank you."

Goku turned and made his way down the hall, pausing momentarily before opening the door. The room was dark despite the open blinds and light pouring from a cracked window. Bardock lay beneath a thick layer of sheets, a wet rag plastered over his sweating brow. Goku rushed to his side, gently touching his cheeks. They were burning.

Bardock murmured at the touch and peeled open his eyes. He blinked groggily.

"Turles, get me some water would you? My throat feels like sawdust."

"Father? It's me, Goku."

Bardock's eyes fluttered and he looked around until his gaze fell on Goku. He stared for a while, recognition dawning on his face.

"Goku?" he whispered hoarsely. "What are you doing here? Did you escape? Did that monster try to hurt you?" Goku could see Bardock trying to push himself upright and quickly placed a hand on his chest, urging him to stay down.

"Shhh stay, father. I brought you a senzu. Here, take it." Goku fished out the senzu from his pocket and placed it against the sickly man's lips. "Can you chew it?" Bardock accepted the bean and began slowly chewing it, face contorted in discomfort, before finally swallowing it. For two agonizing seconds Goku feared he was too late, but seconds later, the color began to seep back into his father's face, the bags around his eyes disappeared, and his sat up, wide-eyed and healthy as Goku had last seen him.

"Goku…" Bardock hesitated, and suddenly threw his arms around his son. Goku hugged him in return, the two of them simultaneously laughing and crying. When they had finally calmed, Bardock rose to his feet, pulling Goku up after him.

"Great Kami it's only been a few months, and yet you've grown so much," Bardock said fondly. Goku smiled, glancing up as Turles joined them in the room.

"Father!" he exclaimed, rushing toward Bardock. The two saiyans embraced before Turles turned to his brother with a wide-eyed look. "How did you do this, Goku? Did you manage to steal a senzu as well?"

"I didn't steal it," Goku quickly said. "Vege- I mean, the beast let me have one."

"The beast?" Bardock narrowed his eyes. "What did he ask of you in return? Does he want me to come with you as well?"

"No, don't worry. He allowed me three days to heal you, then I will have to return."

"I don't understand," Bardock said frowning. "Why would he do that? What does he want?"

"Nothing," Goku said, smiling. "He's really a nice person once you get to know him."

"He's not a nice person, Goku," Bardock warned. "He threatened to kill us all if I didn't send you to him. You are a captive."

"It's not so bad," Goku assured him. Suddenly the door opened and shut, and the heavy stomping of boots announced the third member of the house.

"Turles? Where's the damned ax? Don't tell me you left it in the forest again?" Goku grinned, following the voice into the main room. Raditz, dressed in a pair of light trousers and shirt, his long thick hair tied back, glanced up and started in shock, dropping the basket of groceries he'd been holding.

"G… Goku?" he exclaimed. "What are you doing here!"

"I'll explain everything soon. But first, do you guys have something to eat? I'm starving!"

After dinner was prepared, the family of four gathered at the table to eat as Goku proceeded to explain everything that had happened to him, leaving out the prince's true identity.

"So he did try to kill you," Bardock muttered darkly.

"Only once," Goku said, defending the prince. "And it was a long time ago. He's much kinder now."

"I don't know," Raditz said. "I don't trust this guy. He's too volatile to me. And it explains what happened in that forest. A monster like that should be gotten rid of immediately. He's a danger to all of us!"

"He's not dangerous!" Goku insisted. "He just wants to be left alone!"

"Look, never mind that," Turles interrupted. "Is there any way you could stay here? You said you've been sparring with him. Maybe if he tried attacking we could all beat him back together. Then you wouldn't have to go back there!"

"No," Goku protested. "I'm going back."

"Goku," Bardock protested. "Please."

"I want to go to the village," Goku said abruptly. "I want to see everyone again." Bardock sighed, but nodded.

"Alright, just… come back early. I want us to spend as much time together as we can."

"I will," Goku promised. He left the house and began walking down the road, kicking at the occasional pebble in frustration. 'Why don't they understand?' he grumbled to himself. 'Vegeta is a good person! He's a bit rough but…' He sighed and rubbed at the nape of his neck. 'Oh well. I don't need them to think like I do.'

"Goku? Is that you?" Goku turned to see Master Roshi and a young, dark haired woman.

"Master Roshi!" Goku exclaimed with a smile.

"What happened to you!" he asked, approaching. "You disappeared for months! Your brothers refused to say anything about where you'd been."

"Well, I've been staying somewhere else for the time being."

"I see," Master Roshi rumbled. "Seems you've gotten stronger as well."

"You could tell?" Goku asked, surprised.

"Of course. I'm sure I taught you about ki detection, Goku. Don't tell me you've already forgotten everything I taught you."

"No way!" Goku emphasized. "It's thanks to you that I've been able to get this far."

"Mmmm that's better," Master Roshi nodded satisfactorily. "But it's good to have you back then."

"Actually, I'll be going back in a few days," Goku admitted. Master Roshi raised his eyebrows.

"You're going back? Where? Goku, where have you been?"

"It's complicated," Goku sighed. "So who's she?"

"Don't try to divert the topic, Goku," Master Roshi muttered. "This is Launch. She's recently come to stay at the Turtle Dojo to help me out."

"Oh really? That's nice," Goku grinned.

"Nice to meet you," Launch said, smiling. "You must be the Goku Master Roshi is always talking about. He has very high hopes for you."

"Really? Thanks!" Goku exclaimed. Master Roshi crossed his arms, grumbling.

"Well, you should come back when you can. We'd all thought you died, you know. I could still sense your ki, but it was faint, and only because I knew it well. Either you've been unbelievably far, or there's something blocking your chi." Master Roshi began heading toward the village and Goku promptly followed.

"Huh… you're right," Goku muttered. It explained why no one had ever sensed Vegeta, despite his enormous ki level. "So how have things been since my absence?"

"Not very good," Roshi admitted. "Freeza has been more ruthless than ever. He captured Emerald City not three weeks ago, and is marching this way as we speak. He's been recruiting all the best fighters willing to serve him, and killing those who resist. The rest are enslaved and forced to serve under his cruel empire. I know your father and brothers will fight him, but there is nothing they can do. We must leave this place, or hope for a miracle."

"Why has he been allowed to go this far?" Goku growled. "Isn't there anyone strong enough?" Master Roshi shrugged.

"Once maybe. But almost all the Saiyans have been wiped out. Freeza may not admit it, but everyone knows he fears the Saiyan race more than anything."

"Really? Why?" Goku asked, surprised.

"The Saiyans have an ever-growing potential. Their strength is nearly limitless, given enough training, and the Moon Transformations would create terrifying beasts."

"But there hasn't been a Moon Transformation since Kami destroyed the moon two hundred years ago," Goku said.

"And rightly so. When the first Saiyans populated this land, they were the most fearsome, destructive creatures ever known. Every full moon, they would grow into gigantic beasts and destroy everything in their path. They drove humans and Namekians alike from their homes, and it wasn't until Kami destroyed the moon that the saiyans were able to live in greater harmony with the native people. I use harmony loosely, of course. The Saiyan kings took what they wanted and killed the rest, driving out the Namekians and conquering lands and races across the known world. Their greed was relentless, and their reign ruthless, but even then peace and prosperity governed the lands. The Saiyans knew they needed farmers to till the soil, and workers in the cities, so under promise of peace, the people were allowed to live freely. This Freeza is something different. He is a monster the likes of which this world has never seen. He is ruthless, and cold as ice. He cares nothing for profit or prosperity, only death and destruction. He may not even be from this world."

Goku listened to all of this with growing apprehension. This Freeza was a far worse threat than he had imagined. If he wasn't stopped, Freeza would conquer the entire world, destroying everything. Every person.

"I'll stop him," Goku declared. Master Roshi stopped dead in his tracks and stared incredulously at his former pupil.

"Stop him? Goku, even I know I'm not match for that thing, and while you have grown stronger, I admit, you are still nowhere near that monster's strength."

"Don't worry," Goku grinned. "I won't be the only one fighting him. And I still have time to train."

"What do you mean?" Roshi demanded. "Are you saying there is someone out there as strong as you? Where exactly were you, Goku?"

"You'll find you soon," Goku promised. "I need to go home now, but I'll see you soon! Tell everyone I said hi!"

With that, Goku launched himself in the air and flew back to his home, which, with a sudden jolt, he realized hardly felt like home now. When he arrived, he opened the door to find his father sitting alone in the dining room, reading a book and nibbling at a dumpling.

"Goku, you're back early," Bardock said when Goku entered.

"Where are Raditz and Turles?" Goku asked, glancing around.

"They went to chop some firewood and hunt for tonight. Idiot boys wouldn't let me come along – they're convinced I still need to rest," the saiyan grumbled. Goku grinned, taking a seat beside his father.

"They just care about you, dad. But I have something I need to tell you, and it might be best that Raditz and Turles aren't here. What I tell you now you can't tell anyone, understand?"

Bardock leaned back, taken by surprise but nodded. "I promise," he swore.

"Good," Goku nodded before continuing. "The beast in that castle isn't just a beast. He's the prince Vegeta."

"He's the what?" Bardock exclaimed, nearly jumping out of his chair.

"The Saiyan Prince, Vegeta," Goku repeated. "He was cursed because of his bad deeds to live as a beast until he repented his crimes. He is very powerful, and I know that if he knew what Freeza was doing, he would help us stop him immediately. There is no way he would let that monster take over his kingdom."

"The prince," Bardock echoed, unbelieving. "Well that explained where he went missing, alright. But how do you know he'll fight? He's been hiding for all this time. Why would he fight now?"

"Because I'll ask him to," Goku said. "Vegeta has a lot of pride, so he doesn't want anyone to see him how he is now. He knows that no one would believe he is the prince, and no one would fight for him. I don't think he knows how much of a threat Freeza is. He's been alone there for over five years now, hiding from the world. I know he will fight with me."

"I see," Bardock breathed. "Is he strong?"

"Very," Goku said. "I don't know if it's because of his form, or if he was always that strong, but he taught me a lot, and we sparred together for several months. I'm sure the both of us have become even stronger now. It's only a matter of time before we're strong enough to fight Freeza."

Bardock said nothing, only looked strangely at his son for a few moments. "What?" Goku asked, noticing the look. Bardock shook his head, smiling.

"Nothing. Only… you talk very fondly of this prince. I've never heard you speak so highly of someone before."

"Uh, really?" Goku stammered. "Well, he's a good person, and powerful. I've never met anyone like him."

"It's just like you to find the best in people, Goku," Bardock said with a soft smile. "I can't say I'll ever like the man, neither as a beast nor as a saiyan, but you seem to like him enough, so I can only hope this plan of yours works. And you can count on me to fight by your side."

"Thanks dad!" Goku exclaimed. "I'll return tomorrow. The sooner I get there, the sooner we can begin training for Freeza's arrival. And after that, I'm sure I'll see you guys again. Maybe Vegeta will even let you visit."

"Don't get ahead of yourself, Goku," Bardock laughed. "We've yet to see if we survive any of this."

"Oh we will," Goku promised. "We'll send that ice demon back to where he came from."

…

As Goku divulged all of this to his father, Raditz stood outside the cabin, listening quietly. He'd lowered his ki enough to keep from being noticed, and remained absolutely silent through Goku's recounting. When Goku had finished speaking, Raditz slowly lowered his armful of wood and snuck out from behind the house. From there, he flew south a hundred kilometers. The further south he traveled, the colder it became, strangely enough, but Raditz continued on. He flew over ruined ghost towns, barren farmland, and frozen deserts, until he reached a huge encampment that stretched over miles of land. Thousands of white tents were pitched along the mass of land, and soldiers in distinct armored outfits monitored the encampment by the hundreds. As soon as Raditz landed within the encampment, he was surrounded by two-dozen soldiers, all armed to the teeth and regarding him threateningly.

"Name your business here," one of the soldiers barked. He wasn't human, but he wasn't Namekian either. Raditz narrowed his eyes.

"Best you get those out of my face unless you all want to die," Raditz threatened calmly. The soldiers tensed, but did not back down. Suddenly, a large figure cut through the ring of soldiers.

"Raditz? What are you doing here?" Raditz looked up and nodded at the huge, purple-skinned soldier.

"Ginyu," he greeted. "I'm here to see Lord Freeza. I have some information that might be of interest to him."

"What kind of interest?" Ginyu prodded. "The lord doesn't see just anyone."

"Tell him I have information about the missing Prince Vegeta."

…

**.:Author's Note:.** Welp. Here's an update!

Comments and critiques are always appreciated,

- Kerrigas


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

…

Raditz was escorted to a large tent which was surprisingly destitute of a guard of any kind. But then, Raditz could feel an enormous ki, far greater than any he had ever encountered, resonating from that tent like a thrumming heart. The soldiers left him at the entrance, and Ginyu pushed back the opening flap of the tent and disappeared through the entrance. Raditz hesitated only for a second before following.

Inside, the tent was spacious and sparsely decorated. The ground was covered in various animal pelts, from tigers to wolves to bears, and a single, wooden throne-like chair stood in the center, and upon it, Freeza.

Raditz stared at the creature before him. It was small and alien – unlike anything he'd ever seen before. It wasn't as large as he'd anticipated. In fact, it was smaller and more slender in stature than him, with pale milky skin save for a few areas of purple on its head, chest, arms and legs, a long, reptilian tail, and queer three-pronged feet. Its pupils were a haunting shade of mauve, with dark lips pulled back in a cold sneer. In one hand, the ice lizard delicately swirled a glass of dark wine, sipping at it idly.

"Kneel you fool," Ginyu hissed. Raditz shot him a dark look.

"I kneel for no-one," Raditz growled, but bowed slightly. Despite is small size and stature, the creature's mere presence filled the room, weighting down on Raditz like a leaden stone.

"I like this one," the Icejin suddenly said, in a voice strangely high and coarse. "He's got spirit. A saiyan, of course. More pride than you monkeys know what to do with. What are you here for, then?"

Raditz ignored the quip about his race and allowed himself a small smirk. "I have information about the missing Prince Vegeta I thought you might find useful."

The icejin frowned, dark eyes narrowing. "What do I care of the prince? He is dead or run away, for all I know. He is no threat to me."

"He is not dead," Raditz corrected him. "He lives beyond the Great Forest, in the ruins of his castle. He has been cursed and turned into a beast, and his pride and fear keeps him from the others."

"Turned into a beast, aye?" The icejin gave a harsh laugh. "What irony. But what do I care? If he hides in the forest, all I have to do is blow it up on my way north. Is this all you have to tell me?"

Raditz frowned, growing nervous. The ice lizard's eyes had been watching him, unblinking, in a cold way that made his skin crawl.

"No, my lord," he said. "The prince plans to fight. He is far stronger than you know, and stronger than any saiyan you may have met. He has been training himself, and the threat of a new conqueror will not pass lightly with him."

"I see," Freeza said slowly, sipping at his wine. "He plans to fight me, does he? Well, still, he is no match for me."

"I urge you caution, my lord," Raditz continued. "Strike him down now. He is a prince, and powerful. There is potential."

"What potential?" Freeza demanded.

"I believe he may have the potential to become a super saiyan."

Freeza froze at this, and the glass in his hand shattered as he closed his hand around it. Raditz stared as the dark wine dribbled through the icejin's fingers and dripped to the floor.

"A super saiyan?" Freeza hissed. "That's not possible. There's no such thing."

"I don't believe he has achieved it yet," Raditz assured him. "But he is strong. Vegeta has unlimited potential, and it may be best to cut him off before he becomes too powerful."

The icejin mulled this over with a dark frown and narrowed eyes. He removed the last of the wine with a quick wave of his hand, and stood, slowly approaching Raditz. The saiyan lowered his eyes, heart quickening as a sudden wave of fear swept over him, but he kept his position and did not move.

"You are right," Freeza finally said. "It's best I rid myself of this prince now before he becomes a problem. But what of you? Surely you haven't come here because of the goodness of your heart."

Raditz lifted his head, barely managing to resist a flinch as he noticed how close the icejin was to him. It was at least two heads shorter than him, but looked up at him with power and confidence that nearly caused Raditz' legs to buckle beneath him. "Power," Raditz finally managed. "I want power. I want to become strong, and to use that strength. Let me become part of your army. Vegeta has allowed this land to become too slow and peaceful. The saiyans are a warrior race born and built for battle. We do not need a soft king, nor a soft life."

Freeza considered this for a while, before his dark lips pulled back into a cruel smile. "Why not," the icejin finally said. "You look useful enough, and you've clearly proved your worth. You may become captain of the first guard."

"What?" Ginyu suddenly interrupted, standing. "But… my lord, that's my position!"

"Shut up, you fool," Freeza snapped. "You can have Dodoria's third guard. Besides, I see far more potential in this one." Ginyu growled, but made no move to insist. Raditz' chest swelled with sudden pride and he allowed himself a small smile of triumph.

"I also ask that you spare my family." Raditz added. "They are all strong warriors, and could be useful to you as well."

"Very well," Freeza agreed. "As long as they quietly submit to me without rebellion, they will be allowed their lives. We'll move in three days. The first and second guards alone should be fine. I would just go myself, but I don't know if Vegeta has been building an army and I would rather take care of him myself without having to worry about his minions."

"Yes, Lord Freeza," Ginyu said reluctantly.

…

Goku was setting up the table when Raditz returned, a huge boar slung over one shoulder.

"Raditz? Where have you been?" Turles asked, glancing up from the fire he was tending in the hearth. "You disappeared after saying you were going to pick up dinner."

"Well, I did," Raditz replied, adjusting the corpse of the boar on his shoulder.

"Took you long enough," Turles grumbled. "I didn't know you'd have that much trouble with one boar."

Raditz narrowed his eyes. "There was no trouble. I just went a little further to hunt. The boars are larger in the south."

"Be careful," Bardock said, exiting the kitchen and relieving Raditz of the animal. "Freeza's army is marching up from the south. They won't hesitate to kill you."

"I'll be fine," Raditz assured him. "Besides, they won't be here for another while."

Bardock sighed and relented, hauling the boar into the kitchen.

That evening, over a filling dinner of roasted board, potates, and stir-fried vegetables, Goku announced that he was returning to the beast's castle the following morning. Raditz pretended to be as shocked as his older brother, who vehemently protested his brother's decision.

"Goku, you're allowed another day! Why would you return rather than stay here longer?" Turles asked.

"I need to return and warn the beast about Freeza's march. Maybe he could help us beat him back."

"Help us?" Turles exclaimed. "Goku, even if that beast did help us, I doubt he's strong enough to challenge Freeza. That thing's on another level!"

"Goku, please rethink this," Raditz urged, honestly. "Just stay here. Freeza will march north soon, and that beast will have no chance against him. If you stay with us, maybe he'll spare you."

"Spare us," Bardock, who had listened to the arguments without protest, interrupted. "That monster won't spare us. I don't trust that beast, but I trust Freeza even less."

"Don't worry, I'll be back soon," Goku promised. "This won't be the last time we see each other, I promise."

No matter how much his brothers protested, Goku remained firm in his decision. Finally, they all retreated to their rooms late in the night, quickly falling asleep under the watchful eye of a moonless night – that is, all but one.

…

The next morning, Goku woke to a knocking on his window. He blinked groggily and slipped out of bed, opening the window to see Raditz looking up at him, dressed in a coat and trousers. A cool spring breeze wafted through his window.

"Raditz? What's wrong?"

"I need to show you something," Raditz said. "It's important. I think it has something to do with Freeza."

"Freeza?" Goku, now awakened, threw on the gi which he'd planned on wearing for his departure. He leapt out his window, where Raditz stood awaiting.

"Show me," Goku asked.

"Can you fly?" Raditz asked. Goku grinned and floated up a few feet.

"Of course," he said. Raditz smiled and shot above the forest, Goku following closely behind. They flew for a while, before Raditz descended at the foot of a mountain. They walked a ways alongside the rocky exterior, until, suddenly, the mountain opened up into a large cave. Goku stared, awestruck, as Raditz entered the cave. He followed, glancing up. The cave may have started out as a natural landscape, but as they walked further into the cave, the shape of the walls were clearly created by enormous ki-blasts.

"What is this place?" Goku asked wonderingly. The cave was cold and moist, and had begun to darken as they moved away from the entrance. Raditz summoned a ball of ki into his hands, lighting up the cave. Goku gasped. The cave branched off into cells lined in rows and rows. The cells were barricaded by thick metal gates, many of which were rusted shut. One of the cells was open, and Goku caught sight of a human skeleton lying on the barren ground. He swallowed and glanced around.

"What is this place?" he asked.

"This is where the second King Vegeta used to keep his prisoners of war many years ago, when the saiyans first conquered the Namekians and humans."

"I see," Goku breathed. "I had no idea this place existed."

"Neither did I, until I followed one of Freeza's lackeys here. He entered this room here and left that box." Raditz opened one of the cell doors. Unhesitantly, Goku entered, glancing around. It was much like the other cells, but more spacious, with a large table covered in papers, metal gizmos and a small steel case. Goku approached the table rustling through the papers and weighing the strange objects in his hands.

"What are they?" Goku asked.

"Probably articles from our original homeland."

"What does Freeza want with these?" Goku set down a strange object connected to a small red screen. Suddenly, the door behind him slammed shut, and Goku whirled around.

"Raditz? Raditz what's going on?" Goku yelled, peering through the small window of the cell door. He pushed against it, but it did not relent.

"This is for your own good, Goku, believe me," he heard his brother say, and he heard a loud click echo through the cave. Goku finally caught sight of his brother as he stepped away from the door.

"What do you mean? What are you doing! I need to go back!" Goku exclaimed, panic building.

"You can't go back, Goku," Raditz said, shaking his head. "Vegeta won't fight, and even if he does, we're better off without him. Look at what kind of prince he was. It's only natural he was cursed."

"What? How do you know about Vegeta?" Goku demanded.

"I overheard you speaking with father. Believe me, it's better this way. Freeza will be marching north to kill Vegeta in two days' time. I can't have you getting involved – for your own safety."

"Freeza?" Goku cried. He stepped away, mind reeling. What was Raditz doing? How did Freeza know about Vegeta? Suddenly, it dawned on him.

"You told him? You told Freeza?" Goku asked, stunned. "But… why? Raditz why would you do such a thing!"

"Because I had to!" Raditz exclaimed angrily. "Goku you should heard yourself. You speak of that… beast as if you loved him! Vegeta was a cruel person, as a saiyan and as a monster, and he was weak. It's better off for all of us if he dies."

"And Freeza is any better?" Goku cried. "He'll kill everyone! Even Vegeta was never that bad."

"That's why he was weak!" Raditz retorted. "Come on Goku, don't you crave a good battle, the rush of destruction and power? Vegeta was weak. His kingdom was small and quiet, and all he was good for was driving out those stupid Namekians. Freeza will bring about an age of power the world hasn't witnessed since the arrival of the second King Vegeta!"

"You're crazy," Goku hissed. "Please Raditz, you don't know what you're doing. Freeza will kill you!"

"Goodbye, Kakkarot," Raditz said, turning away. "Oh, and don't bother trying to blast your way out of that room – it's entirely reinforced by katchine."

"Raditz!" Goku screamed. He banged on the door as he heard his brother shoot out of the cave, his ki growing fainter in the distance.

"Shit," Goku swore. He kicked at the door, but it remained firm. Goku darted toward the other side of the room and gathered up as much energy as he could in his hands before throwing it with all his strength at the door. Goku yelped as the impact of the explosion sent him crashing against the wall. When the dust cleared, Goku could see with growing despair that the door was entirely undamaged. Goku screamed in frustration before collapsing, exhausted, onto the cold ground and passing out.

…

By the afternoon of the third day, Vegeta was getting antsy. He paced impatiently in his room, glancing out the window every so often. He hadn't seen, or even sensed, the other saiyan all day, and his time was running out.

"Where is that idiot," Vegeta growled under his breath.

"Calm down, Vegeta," Bulma urged. "I'm sure he'll be here. He's probably just been held up."

"Well he's been held up all day," Vegeta snapped. "He should be here by now."

As the sun began to set, Vegeta felt his hope growing slimmer with every passing minute.

"Why isn't he here?" he whined, clutching the windowsill. He reached out in vain for Goku's ki, but felt nothing.

Krillin and Bulma exchanged a worrisome glance, but said nothing. Suddenly, Vegeta seemed to deflate, his shoulders drooping.

"He's not coming back," he said flatly.

"That's not true!" Bulma protested. "He will, he's probably come across a problem. Let me check the crystal." The gargoyle grabbed the crystal off Vegeta's desk, but the saiyan grabbed it from her hands and threw it at the wall, where it bounced off with a crack and rolled beneath a pile of rubble.

"I don't need to see him!" Vegeta roared. "I know where he is! He's with his family. He must finally have realized what a mistake he had made in promising to return. He won't come back. He'll never some back!"

"Please, Vegeta, that's not true!" Bulma cried.

"Goku would never go back on a promise," Krillin agreed, trying to pacify the enraged prince. "He'll be back, I know he will."

"No," Vegeta said, but this time all anger had drifted from his voice, leaving it hollow with grief. "He won't come back. He never loved me. I'll be a beast forever." Vegeta gently picked up the last, glowing orange ball. It had nearly faded away, already losing its' smooth texture for that of grainy stone. He cradled the ball to his chest and left the room, shutting the door behind him. Bulma and Krillin stood, shocked by the prince's outburst of grief.

"Do you think he really won't come back?" Krillin asked quietly.

"I don't know," Bulma said sadly. "I don't know why he isn't here yet. But I can't believe Goku would leave Vegeta like that."

…

When Raditz returned, Turles and Bardock were already up and approached him immediately.

"Raditz, do you know where Goku is? He's not in bed, and we haven't been able to find him."

"Don't worry, he left just a bit ago," Raditz reassured them. "He decided to leave earlier, and didn't want to wake you up."

"What?" Bardock looked startled. "But… Goku wouldn't do that. Leave without saying goodbye?"

"He promised to return soon," Raditz supplied. "I think he means it." Turles and Bardock looked at each other, frowning, until Bardock sighed, running a hand through his hair and smiling ruefully.

"Well, I guess he really is in love," he muttered softly.

…

When Goku awoke, he vaguely wondered if everything had simply been a dream, and he was just waking up in his bed at home, ready to head back for Vegeta's castle. But then he realized the ground beneath him was far harder and colder than his bed, and his stomach was hollow with hunger. Saiyans could survive for several weeks without food if they had to, and Raditz was probably planning on releasing him before that, but by then Freeza would have killed Vegeta, and everyone in the castle. That thought forced Goku to tear open his eyes and struggle to his feet. He walked around the room, looking for any crevice or weak spot, but there was nothing. This room must have once been used to contain something powerful.

With little left to do, Goku began looking through the various papers. Most of them didn't make any sense, full of diagrams and numbers, but finally, he did find a paper with a drawing of a small creature, impish looking, with a wide head, sharp claws, and jagged-looking teeth. He opened the case, which was empty save for a small vial containing a few strange-looking seeds. Goku pulled one out, sniffed it, and dropped it when it yielded a sharp, unpleasant scent. He capped the vial and returned it to the case, picking up some of the strange machinery. One he tried, it turned out to be a strange gun, shooting explosive bullets, but still proved ineffective against the door and walls. He picked up the small piece he'd noticed the day before and pressed a few buttons, nearly dropping it when the small red screen lit up, listing a few numbers. Goku lifted the machine to his face looking around. The numbers on the screen changed depending on where he faced, and suddenly peaked as he faced what he thought was likely past the entrance of the cave, from where he had come.

"That must be Freeza," he said grudgingly as the number continued to climb. Suddenly Goku noticed that the power was moving, and fast.

"No!" he exclaimed, panicking. "Freeza must be heading toward Vegeta!" Goku threw off the machine, and threw himself at the door, but it stayed as unmoving as before. Goku swore, slumping down to the ground in despair.

…

**.:Author's Note:.** Is it just me or is this getting cheesier?

Comments and critiques are always appreciated,

- Kerrigas


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

…

The royal castle was quieter than it had ever been. The prince rarely left his quarters, and spent most of his time wandering the castle halls, or locked away in what had been Goku's room. He ate very little, and spoke even less. It was as if all the strength and pride had left him. The remainder of the castle's occupants worried, but were unable to do anything more than try to feed him what little he would swallow.

Little Goten, however, didn't quite understand what was wrong. He knew that it was because Goku was gone, but he didn't understand why they couldn't just go get him.

"It's because he doesn't want to come back," Trunks said sagely, straightening the prince's portrait and trying to dust it off. "That's why they can't get him." Chichi had had enough of the two young gargoyles following her around with endless questions, and had finally sent them to straighten out the master's room.

"But Goku wants to come back," Goten protested. "I know he does. He liked it here. And he promised."

"Well, I guess he broke his promise," Trunks said, shrugging. Goten frowned.

"No, I don't think so." He grabbed at a piece of drapery shoved beneath a pile of clutter, only to have it all collapse on him as the cloth gave way. Goten groaned, pushing the pile of rubble off him, only to blink in surprise when a clear, crystal ball rolled his way. It was cracked clean through the middle, but still round and whole.

"What's this?" he asked, picking up the ball in stony claws. Trunks glanced at him, dusting off one of the cobweb-covered chairs.

"That's Vegeta's crystal ball," he said. "Oh look, you broke it already! He's not gonna be happy."

"I didn't break it," Goten challenged. "It was broken when I found it." He sighed, twirling the ball in his hands. "This sucks. I want to see Goku again."

"Well, he's not coming back," Trunks said. Suddenly the ball began glowing, catching the youngest gargoyle's attention. Goten stared, enraptured, as the ball suddenly began to form an image.

"Trunks look! It's Goku!" he exclaimed. Trunks looked up wildly, face falling when he didn't see the saiyan.

"What are you talking about?" he chided. Goten ran toward him, shoving the ball forward.

"Look!" he exclaimed. Trunks leaned forward, eyes widening as he noticed the moving image as well, only slightly distorted by the crack.

"What's he doing?" he asked. The crystal ball showed Goku in a strange, enclosed room, pounding angrily at the door. The saiyan stopped long enough to kick the table over in vain, scattering papers and a small case onto the floor. As Goku kicked more venomously at the door, Goten suddenly noticed something rising out of the ground.

"Trunks look! What is that!" he exclaimed. A small, strange, green-skinned creature crawled out of the ground, and more followed after it.

"Goku, watch out!" Trunks yelled, as the first launched itself at Goku's back. The saiyan must have sensed it, because he leapt aside at the last minute, confronted with seven of the strange green creatures.

"Goku's in trouble!" Goten exclaimed. "We've got to tell Vegeta!"

"Vegeta won't listen," Trunks said, biting his lip. "We'll go ourselves."

"What? But how?" Goten exclaimed. "We can't leave this place!"

"No, we've just never tried," Trunks said, grinning. He ran toward the window, calling out, "Nimbus!" A few seconds later, the white cloud appeared in front of them, floating on level with the windowsill.

"Get on," Trunks said, leaping on the cloud. Goten swallowed nervously, but obediently jumped on after the other gargoyle, and just as soon as he'd managed to clutch Trunks' shirt, the cloud zipped away from the castle and over the courtyard. Goten glanced back, and grinned as the sharp air nipped at his face.

"Look Trunks, we made it! We're out of the castle!" he exclaimed. They shot over forest and plain, over fields of wildflowers and small villages. Suddenly, the cloud dropped under the cover of the forest, slowing.

"What's going on?" Goten asked. "Are we here already?" Trunks looked up, eyes narrowing.

"I don't think so," he murmured. Suddenly, he froze, eyes wide, and pulled Goten close, clamping a hand around his mouth. Goten began struggling out of surprise, but followed Trunks' gaze. He stopped struggling and watched in astonishment as a wave of bodies shot through the air. At least three dozen soldiers shot over the forest, entirely unaware of their presence. After they had passed, the cloud began speeding up, and Trunks released his hold on Goten.

"What… what was that?" Goten stammered. "I felt… such a strong presence."

"I think that was Freeza and his army," Trunks said, his eyes wide and fearful. "But why are they headed toward the castle?"

"Do you think they know about Vegeta?" Goten asked anxiously.

"I don't know, but we'd better find Goku fast," Trunks muttered. Nimbus shot through the forest, changing direction and slowly descending until it finally stopped at the mouth of a large cave, where the young gargoyles dismounted and stared up in awe.

"What is this place?" Goten breathed.

"I don't know, but we need to get Goku out soon," Trunks said, heading inside the cave. Goten followed him, glancing around nervously as they wandered further into the dark cave.

"I can't see anything!" Goten exclaimed as they disappeared into the darkness. Suddenly, they heard a muffled shout, and a flash of light from further in the cave.

"That must be Goku!" Trunks said, darting forward. Goten struggled to keep up, tripping over stones in the darkness. Finally, they reached what Goten could barely make out as the edge of a large doorway.

"How do we get it open?" he asked. "It's huge."

"It must be locked somehow," Goten mused. He leapt up, hanging off the doorknob, and scrambled up, gripping the doorframe.

"I can't see anything," Trunks said. "But I think I feel… oh here! There's some kind of lever!" He pulled down on the lever, but it didn't move. Trunks leapt away, hanging by the lever with all his weight, but still it didn't budge. "What's with this thing!" he growled. "Goten, I need your help! Pull my legs down, ok?"

"Uh, alright." Goten stepped forward, arms extended before him. Another flash of light and a muffled yelp burst past the door, and Goten got a quick look at Trunks hanging off a small lever high on the door. He lept up, grabbing Trunk's legs, and pushed against the door, pulling as hard as he could. At first, he thought the lever would still resist, but slowly, it began to slide downwards until, with a rusted screech, the lever flipped down and the door burst open.

Goten and Trunks were thrown back, yelping as they hit the ground and rolled away. They glanced up to see Goku standing in the middle of the room, his hand glowing with a ball of pure ki, the disintegrated bodies of all seven creatures scattered around him. Goku blinked when he noticed, them, and Goten saw that he was covered in numerous wounds and bruises, his gi half shredded away.

"Goten? Trunks? What are you two doing here?"

"We saw you in the crystal ball," Trunks said, picking himself up. "We came to save you."

"You two did well," Goku said, smiling. He suddenly winced, and the ball of ki in his hand wavered. "We need to get out of here." Goten and Trunks followed Goku out of the cave, where the faithful cloud floated patiently.

"We saw Freeza!" Goten exclaimed. "He was headed toward the castle when we left to save you. What's he doing there?" Goku's face darkened, and he leapt onto Nimbus with some effort, gathering the gargoyles in his arms.

"He's going to kill Vegeta," Goku said, gritting his teeth. "We have no time to lose. Nimbus, to the castle!"

…

Vegeta stared at the ball in his hand. He'd had the strange orbs for so long, but never really took the time to look at them. It was a strange thing; light in his hand and perfectly round, smooth like glass but strong as katchine. Each one had a distinct number of yellow stars in the midst of them, and this one reflected four of them. Vegeta sighed, rolling the ball in his leathery hands. He sat up, leaving Goku's bed which had long ago lost his soft scent, and walked toward the window. From the corner of his eye he caught sight of the large mirror, where his monstrous form was reflected back at him, tall and hideous. Vegeta growled low in his throat and sent a bolt of ki at the mirror, shattering it. The prince unlocked and opened the window, allowing a cool spring breeze to waft in.

Vegeta was so absorbed in his grief that he hardly noticed the growing ki quickly approaching his castle. It wasn't until the door slammed open that he was startled from his reverie.

"My Lord," Krillin burst, voice shrill. "Someone is approaching the castle, and fast!"

Vegeta straightened, a small bubble of hope in his heart. "Goku?" he asked, voice hoarse.

"N… no, I don't think so," Krillin stuttered. "That ki it's… it's far stronger than anything I've ever felt. I think… I think its Freeza!"

Vegeta's eyes widened momentarily, before his body sank again. "What does it matter," he growled, closing the window. "Let him come."

"What are you on about?" Krillin exclaimed. "He's going to kill us all! He's taking over all your lands."

"They haven't been my lands in many years," Vegeta said sullenly. He strode past Krillin, heading for his room. Bulma, Tien, and Yamcha watched the prince disappear behind the double doors from the top of the stairway.

"What are we going to do?" Krillin asked despairingly. "Freeza's going to kill us all."

"We won't go down without a fight," Yamcha declared, though Krillin could detect a slight tremor in his voice.

"We need to find Goku," Bulma said. "There must be something wrong. I am sure Goku wouldn't abandon us like that."

"But what if he has?" Tien bit back. "We're the only ones who can defend this place. Vegeta is powerful, but I don't know if he'll fight."

Suddenly, they heard the slam of doors from below the stairs and looked back to see Chichi scramble to the foot of the stairwell.

"Has anyone seen Trunks or Goten?" she asked breathlessly. The four gargoyles exchanged a look and shook their heads.

"What's wrong?" Krillin said.

"They're gone!" Chichi exclaimed. "They were supposed to be cleaning up Vegeta's room, and I can't find them anywhere!"

"What?" Bulma exclaimed. "But where could they have gone?"

"I don't know," Chichi cried hysterically, tearing at her stony horns. "I looked everywhere."

"She's right," Yamcha said. "I can't feel their ki, either." Chichi looked at him, horrified.

"No way!" she screamed, grabbing him by the neck. "Are you trying to say Freeza got them?"

"Chichi, calm down!" Bulma ordered, wrestling Yamcha from her grip. "Freeza isn't even here yet. I'm fairly certain we would have noticed if he was. I checked Vegeta's room five minutes ago, and the window was open, and the nimbus is gone."

"But… what?" Chichi stared at the other gargoyle in confusion.

"It means they've probably left to find Goku," Bulma explained.

"But, that's where Freeza was coming from," Chichi panicked.

"Those boys are pretty smart, and they're stronger than they look," Krillin said. "I'm sure they're fine, Chichi." Chichi glanced between the two gargoyles before sighing resignedly.

"I guess. Still –"

She was cut off by a sudden outcry from Yamcha. The gargoyle stumbled back, hitting the ground.

"It's Freeza!" he exclaimed. "He's here! And he brought his army with him." Krillin and Tien raised their heads, eyes widening as they both felt the onslaught of powerful ki rapidly approaching.

"Oh no," Krillin breathed. "We don't have any more time! What are we going to do!"

"We'll fight," Tien said. "We may not be as powerful in these forms, but we still have some power."

"We can still hold him off," Krillin told a shuddering Yamcha.

"What for?" Yamcha muttered, rising unsteadily to his feet. "We can't keep them off forever. What happens when we run out of power?"

"I don't know," Tien replied. "Hope for a miracle I guess."

…

As they approached the Castle, Raditz began to wonder just how powerful this Prince Vegeta was. There were tales that he was a powerful warrior, but he couldn't feel any particularly extraordinary ki from the castle. He smirked. Getting rid of the prince was going to be much easier than he'd thought. Raditz glanced back at the following of soldiers behind him. Most of them were of strange races from lands Freeza had already conquered, or something else entirely. They were strong, but no stronger than him. He'd been one of the villages' strongest warriors, training under Master Shen and, once he had ascended past his master's level, training on his own. Turles was no fighter, and Kakkarot's training under the soft-hearted Master Roshi had left him on a far more inferior level. Finally, Raditz caught sight of the castle before them.

"Doesn't look like much," Zarbon said in a bored tone. Raditz glanced at the green-skinned man and shrugged.

"Well, the curse probably affected the castle as well," he said.

"A curse," Zarbon muttered. "I'm rather curious to see exactly what it is the king of the monkeys has turned into."

"Whatever it is, it's not that strong," Raditz said. Freeza descended, and the soldiers followed, landing before the castle. The sky was already dark, black clouds mixing with eerie mist from the Great Forest as the sun disappeared beneath the horizon.

"Do what you will with those in the castle, but Vegeta is mine," Freeza commanded. The icejin lifted a hand, and with the merest expense of energy, sent an enormous bolt of energy at the door. With a resonating crack, the door shattered, sending split wood tumbling across the lawn of wildflowers. Freeza shot through the doorway, the other soldiers following on foot.

No sooner than he entered through the doorway, Raditz threw himself to the side, narrowly avoiding a bolt of ki. The shouts of Freeza's soldiers mingles with an orchestra of attacks from all sides. Raditz rolled to his feet, fists raised, only to be shocked as a stony gargoyle leapt across from him, with four arms and three eyes. The gargoyle raised his fists, then blinked and lowered them an inch.

"Raditz?" it asked, dumbfounded. Raditz blinked, surprised that it had known his name, but suddenly realized that the voice sounded familiar.

"No way," he muttered. "Tienshinhan?"

"What are you doing here?" Tien hissed, glancing around at the myriad of soldiers.

"You know why I'm here," Raditz said. "It should be obvious. The real question is, why are you in this castle?"

"I was part of the prince's royal guard," Tien replied. "It's my duty to remain here. And I won't let you kill him."

"That's a mistake on your part," Raditz growled. "You shouldn't have chosen this weakling over a proper ruler. You'll die like your master."

"Don't be so sure," Tien snarled. "He's far stronger than he looks."

"But you aren't," Raditz said, and darted forward. Even with four arms, Tien was pushed back by Raditz's onslaught of powerful attacks. They exchanged blows until Tien felt the walls closing in behind him, and darted aside, throwing his energy, but knowing in vain he would never win. Raditz pushed him back, and raised his arm triumphantly for a final attack when suddenly something powerful knocked him away, sending him flying to crash into the stairwell.

Raditz groaned, picking himself up. He stood and crouched, ready to return the assault, and stared when he realized who it was that stood before him. He sneered, but he could feel the blood in his veins run cold.

"Hello, little brother."

…

Vegeta could hear the commotion downstairs, and feel the particular ki of something unimaginably powerful. Once, it may have excited him, perhaps frightened him. But now, all he could do was clutch the fading ball in both hands and look out his window at the darkening landscape crackling under the sound of far-off thunder.

The door slammed open, and Vegeta slowly turned around to see Bulma rushing in, panting hysterically.

"Vegeta, they're here!" she said. "Tien, Yamcha, and Krillin are doing their best to hold them off, but they aren't strong enough! You must help them."

"What does it matter," Vegeta said. "Even if we do fight them back, we're still going to be like this forever." He uncovered the ball, gazing at the yellow stars, almost gone. "Better be dead then a beast, and alone forever."

Bulma inhaled sharply, then grabbed the closest piece of broken vase, and threw it at the prince. The china bounced off his leg and shattered on the ground, and Vegeta looked at her strangely.

"Stop being such a wuss, Vegeta," Bulma ordered vehemently. "You're a prince, so act like one. This Freeza is taking over your lands, killing your people, and threatening your castle! You may not care what happens to you, but I would very much like to live. Don't forget that you're not the only one affected by this curse!"

Vegeta stared sullenly at the gargoyle, and he shook his head softly.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly. "I just… I don't have anything to fight for anymore."

"Then fight for Goku," Bulma said, her eyes steely. "What do you think Freeza is going to do with him after killing you and conquering the last of your kingdom? If he doesn't kill him, he'll enslave him, and Goku will live a life of torment, fear, and grief far worse than your own. If you truly ever loved Goku, you will fight to protect him."

Vegeta blinked, looking down. "I –" he began, but was cut off as the doorway shattered, a gust of dust and heat scattering the rubble in his room. Bulma scrambled beneath the cover of a nearby table, crouching fearfully behind a tapestry. Vegeta stiffened, clutching the orb.

"Hello, your highness," Freeza drawled with a laugh, a cruel grin on dark lips.

"Freeza," Vegeta growled lowly. "What are you doing here?"

"My, you don't sound so excited," Freeza said. "Are you so exhausted by that horrid appearance of yours, or is it just the loneliness?"

"Leave this place now," Vegeta threatened. "I have no wish to fight you."

"Oh but you will," Freeza laughed. "I'll kill you either way, but I trust you to put up a little resistance at least. You wouldn't disappoint me, would you?"

Vegeta snarled, and faster than he could blink, Freeza appeared before him and punched him hard in the stomach. Vegeta gasped, flying back into the window. The shutters flew open, and he slumped back against the sill, cool droplets of water kissing his face. Vegeta groaned and pulled himself up, glaring at Freeza.

"You don't look very angry," Freeza muttered, frowning. "Looks like it's going to take a little more persuasion to get you to realize how serious I am." Freeza pointed a finger, and a shot of ki bolted towards him, Vegeta flipped back over the windowsill, letting the ki fly out harmlessly over him as he fell to the ground, dropping down on all fours. Freeza leapt after him, and struck him squarely over the jaw and kicked him twice in the ribs. Vegeta shot back, hitting the ground hard and knocking the ball from his hand. He coughed, struggling up as he realized just how much damage this thing was doing with such ease. Vegeta jumped to his feet, ignoring the smarting at his side, and shot toward the icejin, sending several balls of his way, feinting left and shooting right to aim a kick at the ice lizard's head. Before his foot could impact the icejin, however, Freeza disappeared, only to reappear so quickly at his right that Vegeta barely had the time to block a cut to his neck. He sent blow after blow against the intruder, who easily repelled his attacks, until Vegeta, powered by a sudden rage, shot behind him and grabbed the icejin's tail, flinging him toward the castle. Freeza slammed into the rock, stone crumbling beneath the impact, and fell to the ground. Vegeta panted, wiping a smudge of blood from his cheek, and watched with growing apprehension as Freeza picked himself up, dusted off his body, and grinned cruelly.

"That almost hurt," the icejin declared. "Time to get serious." Before Vegeta could blink, the icejin was behind him, slamming a leg into his back. Vegeta screamed, only to be quieted as Freeza's arm shot out around his neck, holding him up in a chokehold and throwing him into the air. Vegeta soared breathlessly, unable to defend himself as Freeza leapt over him and slammed a leg down into his chest, sending him plummeting to the ground. The moist mud splattered everywhere under his impact, seeping into his fur and clothes. Vegeta gasped, coughing and hacking out globs of blood. Freeza laughed above him, and Vegeta could dimly see the orb growing dimmer by the second. The stars had all but disappeared. Vegeta grit his teeth and pushed himself upright, struggling to his feet. He gathered all the energy he could to his body, and threw himself forward, surprising the icejin.

Vegeta slammed into the ice lizard with all his strength, adding several punches and kicks, throwing him into the air and aiming several blasts of ki in his direction. The dark sky lit up with yellow explosions and scattered raindrops. Even when the smoke cleared, Vegeta could see nothing. The sky was dark, and Freeza's figure nowhere to be seen. Suddenly a bolt of lightning frighteningly close shot through the sky, lighting up the entire field. Vegeta gasped as he caught sight of Freeza, standing five feet away from him and perfectly unscathed, eyes dark and angry.

"Enough play," Freeza growled, and his tail lashed out, catching Vegeta by the throat and lifting him into the air. Vegeta tried to scream, quickly losing air as the tail tightened around his neck. "Goodbye, your highness."

Vegeta gasped, sight growing dim, when suddenly the tail around his neck loosened. The saiyan prince collapsed to the ground, gasping in lungfuls of air. He noticed the orb nearly covered in mud and grime, and picked it out of the muck, cradling it fondly. That was when he felt it. Unbelieving, Vegeta looked up. Freeza was standing a few feet away, crouched and seething, and across from him was Goku, tall and menacing, with a dark expression on his face Vegeta had never seen, even when they'd sparred.

"Goku," he breathed wonderingly. The saiyan's expression softened when he glanced at Vegeta.

"Hey Vegeta," he greeted. "Sorry it took so long."

"What… why are you here?" Vegeta gasped.

"I promised I'd come back, remember," Goku said. Vegeta pushed himself to his feet, panting and hurting, but filled with a new strength.

"It's about time," he coughed, but there was no menace, only a relief he'd never admit.

"While this reunion is quite touching, I'm still here for a reason," Freeza interrupted. "Best we get it done with, yes?" Vegeta turned, but before he could raise a hand to repel the attack, a bolt of ki shot through his chest. The saiyan's eyes widened wonderingly, and he fell back, staring at an endlessly dark sky. He heard Goku's scream, and everything faded away. The ball rolled from his hand, its glow finally fading away.

…

**.:Author's Note:.** Yay character death! So, did the scene turn out all right after all? Not too melodramatic?

Comments, questions, critiques? One more chapter to go!

- Kerrigas


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

…

As soon as Vegeta collapsed into the ground, Goku ran forward, kneeling beside the prince.

"Vegeta? Vegeta can you hear me?" he shook the beast's shoulders. "Please look at me! You can't die!" Vegeta twitched, blinked up at him blindly, and his whole body shuddered once more before the great head rolled lifelessly to the side. Vegeta's hand fell open, and the last of the glowing balls faded into stone, seeping into the mud.

"Poor prince, didn't stand much of a chance," Freeza interrupted. "Good for him anyway, what a horror he'd turned into. I've never seen such a disgusting thing."

Goku stiffened, and delicately placed the ball back into Vegeta's hand, running his fingers over the soft paw.

"You seem rather fond of the beast," Freeza continued. "A pity I'll have to kill you. You're strong, managing to land an attack like that on me. I could use a soldier like you."

"Leave now," Goku ordered, voice laced with barely-restrained rage.

"Oh, is that an order?" Freeza laughed, stepping forward. "What will you do if I don't comply?"

"Your army had been disbanded and defeated. Leave now, or I will kill you," Goku said, standing up. Freeza's lips pulled back into a sneer.

"Of course you will." With that, the icejin launched himself at the saiyan, fist raised. Goku dodged the attack, springing back and aiming a punch at Freeza's torso. Freeza dodged, disappearing and reappearing behind Goku and slamming his tail into the saiyan's back. Goku grunted, landing face first in the softening mud. He struggled to his knees as Freeza laughed.

"All this for a stupid monkey who thought he was a prince." The icejin kicked Vegeta's head to the side, and Goku heard a sickening crack. He grit his teeth, rising. Vegeta, that cruel yet kind person, the lonely man that Goku had watched learn to laugh and to hope. That same, powerful, brave creature lay in the mud, motionless, because of this vile creature before him. Goku felt the anger build and stir within him, felt it grow into power and that power spread throughout him. He screamed, and suddenly that power burst from his body, and Goku felt strong.

Freeza stared, no longer laughing, as the saiyan's power level began to climb. The air around Goku began to crackle and snap like the lightning in the air, and suddenly, it burst from him in a dazzling yellow light. Freeza winced at the burst of power, a shudder running through his spine as the saiyan, the weak, stupid saiyan he'd pounded into the dirt just moments ago, stood wrapped in a brilliant glow, his hair turned to gold and his eyes to a dull, haunting aquamarine that sent a spike of fear into his heart. Freeza forced a laugh - him, Freeza, the conqueror of worlds, frightened by a glowing monkey. He growled, crouching into a fighting position.

"Give it up, Freeza," Goku called over the hissing of rain and grumble of thunder. "You have no place here. Leave these lands now, and you can keep your life."

"Don't think that a smidgen of extra power and some yellow hair is going to save you," the icejin snarled in return. Goku's eyes darkened, and he crouched defensively.

"Have it your way."

Freeza shot forward with a yell, aiming a punch at the saiyan's face. Goku easily blocked the attack, and parried with his own, which Freeza slapped away with his tail. The two leapt into the air, exchanging blow after blow. Finally, Freeza managed to land a punch on Goku's face, but the Saiyan simply licked the blood from his cracked lip and slammed his fist into Freeza's stomach. Freeza gasped sharply, only to be kicked up and seconds later, slammed down into the ground and pummeled by ki attacks as Goku sent wave after wave into the ground.

Finally, Goku dropped to the ground, panting slightly, as Freeza struggled to his feet, howling in rage.

"You damned…!" the icejin screeched hysterically. "I'll kill you all! You and this entire planet!" With that, the icejin leapt into the air, howling in laughter and summoning a huge ball of ki above his head. Goku grit his teeth and crouched, summoning the familiar attack in his hands.

"Ka, me," he began, feeling the energy grow and warm in his hands. Freeza cackled, looking down triumphantly.

"Ha, me."

Freeza threw down his arm, the ball of ki following after and shooting for the castle at an impossible speed.

"HA!" Goku yelled, lifting his hands and releasing everything. The ball of ki shot upwards, slamming into Freeza's attack and exploding, pushing the ki back. Goku watched as Freeza screeched, startled, as the Kamehameha shot through the barrier of energy. The icejin's screams were drowned as the ki enveloped him, shooting for the black sky and disappearing into the clouds like a giant bolt of lightning.

Goku gasped, arms trembling from the exertion, and stumbled forward. The golden glow faded away, and his hair and eyes returned to their usual, dark coloring. The rain washed over the silent castle, interrupted only by the irregular burst of thunder. Freeza's ki had disappeared. The threat was over.

Goku nearly collapsed, but forced himself upright as he stumbled towards Vegeta's body. The prince was almost drowned in mud, and Goku dragged him toward the castle, struggling under the huge weight. Finally, he collapsed beside the saiyan prince at the mouth of the castle, feeling the tears prick his eyes. It wasn't fair, he thought bitterly. How could the prince have been cursed and tormented for so many years, only to be killed as soon as he's become a better person? Goku choked back a sob, running his hand through the soft black mane he'd always yearned to touch. Tien, Krillin and Yamcha limped outside, rain dripping off their bowed heads. Chichi and Bulma hugged each other, crying, and Trunks and Goten stared, still startled by the fallen prince lying so still on the ground.

"I'm sorry," Goku cried. "I'm so sorry Vegeta. I wasn't strong enough. I'm sorry." He pressed his face into the saiyan's cold, wet chest. "I love you."

Goku felt a soft warmth on his face, soft at first, but increasingly powerful and glanced up, blinking when he noticed the ball, still clutched tightly in Vegeta's claw, had begun to glow. Its iridescent orange color returned, the four yellow stars glowing fiercely.

"Is it true?" a deep, reverbrating voice suddenly asked. "Do you love him?" Goku looked up, startled to see a tall, young Namekian standing above him, clad in purple silks and a long white cloak, a wooden staff in one hand.

"Who… are you?" Goku asked wonderingly.

"I am the Kami, the Guardian of this planet," the Namekian replied. "But tell me, do you really love this man?" Goku looked down at Vegeta. His eyes closed, he almost looked peaceful. Goku smiled softly.

"Yes, I do," he whispered. "But it's too late now. He's gone. He'll never know."

"This is not the end for him," Kami said sagely, bending over to pick up the ball. "Do you know what this is?"

"No," Goku said. "Though Vegeta guarded it possessively."

"These are Dragonballs," Kami explained. "Combined, they summon a spirit that can grant any wish the gatherer desires. I rendered them immune for many years on earth, for fear that they would be used for evil, but now I see that there are people like you, pure hearted and noble, capable of melting even the coldest hearts and defeating the cruelest of opponents. I will reactivate the Dragonballs, and return to you that which you hold dear."

Goku stared speechlessly as Kami raised a hand, and from the balcony of Vegeta's room, six orange balls floated down to join the seventh in a pile a few paces away. The balls began to glow brighter and brighter, and the sky blackened, blotting out the clouds and stars alike. The rain faded away, and suddenly, a great light burst forth from the Dragonballs, forming a great, snakelike dragon covered in iridescent green-blue scales.

"I am Shenron, the Eternal Dragon," the great dragon rumbled, "I will grant you one wish, and no more. Speak!"

Goku shook himself out of reverie and awe and stood shakily to his feet.

"Please," he supplicated. "Bring Vegeta back to life. Is that possible?"

"This is a simple task," the dragon replied. Kami suddenly interrupted, adding something in a strange, foreign tongue, and the dragon bowed its head obediently.

"I will return to you the prince Vegeta, and lift the enchantment that has been cast upon him and his castle." The dragon's eyes glowed, and Goku watched as Vegeta began to glow, and suddenly began to shift. His claws shrank and smoothed out into soft, pale fingers, the mane of dark fur faded away, leaving only a thick head of black hair, and the snout retracted to reveal a smooth, handsome face. Vegeta's eyes suddenly fluttered open, and he blinked, groaning.

"What?" he tried, voice hoarse. "Where am I?"

"Vegeta!" Goku cried, falling to his knees as the prince struggled to sit upright. Vegeta stared wonderingly at the saiyan.

"Kakkarot? What's going on? Why are you here? I thought I'd died."

"You did," Goku said, unable to keep the giddy grin off his face. "But Kami summoned the spirit of the Dragonballs, and he wished you back to life.

"I… I see," Vegeta blinked, and raised a hand, clenching and unclenching his fist. "I'm… human," he said wonderingly.

"Your wish has been granted." Goku and Vegeta glanced up as the great dragon interrupted, the prince's eyes widening as he noticed spirit. "Farewell." With that, the dragon faded away, and the glowing Dragonballs rose into the sky, gathering together for a moment before shooting across the sky in different directions with a crack. As soon as the balls disappeared over the horizon, the sky lightened, and revealed a cloudless blue sky, lit by the gentle rays of the morning sun peering over the eastern mountains.

Vegeta accepted Goku's hand, who pulled him upright, grinning.

"I've got real hair!" Goten suddenly exclaimed, Goku turned around, grinning as he noticed that the others had all been returned to their former human bodies. Yamcha was tall and dark haired, Tien large and intimidating, an extra eye still present on his forehead, and Krillin hadn't grown much taller than his enchanted form, though he looked far more human. Chichi had been transformed into a dark haired woman with eastern features, and Bulma into a blue-haired beauty. The youngest, Trunks and Goten squealed with delight, making faces at each other and pulling at their hair.

"You really did it." Goku turned back to Vegeta as the prince addressed him, smiling in a way that somehow reminded him of the toothy, self-confident smirk of his beastly self. "You broke the spell."

"It took two to break that spell," Kami said, smiling wryly. "You finally learned how to love, Vegeta."

Goku turned to the prince, surprised. Vegeta's cheeks heated to a deep shade of crimson, and he glanced away, mumbling. Goku laughed, taking Vegeta's face in his hands and kissed him deeply. The saiyan stiffened in surprise, but finally melted into the embrace, wrapping his arms around Goku's waist. The saiyans finally broke apart, Goku grinning stupidly, and Vegeta blushing so hard he looked ready to punch the grin off Goku's face.

Kami coughed, interrupting them momentarily, and smiled knowingly. "I think my work here is done. Vegeta, I have restored to you your castle, but it is up to you to restore your kingdom."

"That won't be a problem," Vegeta said confidently, glancing at Goku. "I've already got more help than I need."

Kami smiled. "Good luck then. I'll be watching, so best you behave." And with that, the Namekian disappeared.

"Vegeta look," Goku exclaimed when he turned around. Vegeta and the others turned around and gasped when they saw the castle, fully restored in its great glory, polished white stones gleaming. The destruction from Freeza's arrival had disappeared, leaving a huge bed of wildlflowers, and a clear pathway wide enough for five horses that cut through the forest, which had lost all eeriness and burst with the song of bird and creature.

Chichi and Bulma laughed, throwing themselves around the prince, while the others congratulated Goku for his bravery. Goku laughed at Vegeta's shocked and uncomfortable expression, and rescued his prince by lifting him up by the waist.

"You know, Vegeta," Goku mused. "I just noticed something."

"What?" Vegeta asked irritably, flushing.

"You're actually pretty short, aren't you?" Goku laughed, dropping the fuming saiyan prince, and tore behind the castle, Vegeta chasing after him with a curse.

…

News of the return of the prince Vegeta did not take long to spread, and by the end of the following moon, the entire kingdom rejoiced his return. After the defeat of Freeza, his army disbanded went into hiding, or left the kingdom entirely. Krillin and Yamcha returned to Turtle Village to continue training under Master Roshi's tutelage, but were welcome to return to Vegeta's royal guard whenever they desired. Turles and Bardock moved into the castle to live with Goku and the Prince, where Vegeta awkwardly professed his apologies for having mistreated Bardock. Like a true saiyan, Bardock laughed it off and insisted he was still young enough to conquer a few lands or two in the future.

The prince traveled the lands with Goku at his side, promising a future of peace, prosperity, and strength anew. Saiyans, humans, and Namekians alike were welcomed into the new kingdom, deemed equal under the new law and promised safety and sanctuary. Vegeta promised to amass an army and conquer the eastern lands across the sea to pacify the frustrated saiyans, but prohibited slavery, thievery, and needless murder. Under Vegeta's new rule, the lands flourished and the people prospered, rich in land and peace. Goku was always close to Vegeta wherever they went, and ruled alongside his prince with true advice and the adoration of his people. Those who proclaimed the common-born saiyan as unfit to sit beside the prince were thrown into the cellars for a day to contemplate their prejudices.

For over a century the kingdom prospered under Vegeta's rule, and would continue under his adoptive son, Trunks. But, until then, Goku and Vegeta lived long and healthy lives and, yes, happily ever after, to the end of their days.

THE END

...

**.:Author's Note:.** Done! Wow, this is the first multi-chapter story I've actually finished. What a shock!

Many thanks to all who have followed and reviewed this story to the end. Feel free to pass it on if you liked it, or leave a comment with your thoughts.

- Kerrigas


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